The Gods' Game, Side Story 2
by Liz Inverse
Summary: A certain Prophet gets her own story again as she searches through ancient magic for forbidden spells, and stumbles across the history of a certain Vampire Pirate.   Contains a fan-created back history for the Raid Boss Zaken.
1. Chapter 1

_Darksday, 18xx._

_ Nearly a year has passed since Sharmin's disappearance. I have been passing the time by collecting and reading as many texts as I can that may shed some light on inter-dimensional travel. I cannot, nor will I ever believe that Sharmin is lost to us for good. _

_ The subject of dimensional travel, although so widely used every day through the Gatekeepers of the world, seems to be something that is highly guarded. Almost all books that mention the subject either merely define it, or have been censored so that any information on it can not be procured. Finally giving up on finding anything in the libraries and Magic Guilds on the mainland, I've returned to Talking Island and am currently studying though the books left behind in the Elven Ruins. _

_ The guy who killed my headmaster five years ago was the last person to ever come in here to actually read, and it looks like he pilfered many books while he was here. Einhovant's keeps a tally sheet on the books that remain within the Ruins, and many the sheet says are there, has disappeared. The hell if I'm going to give up though, there's GOT to be something down here, if not the actual information then at the very least a clue. _

_ To catch up what I've been doing since my last entry, after what happened in the Garden of Eva, I met up with Ryonai again after not seeing him for years. You remember Ryonai, right diary? That cute boy that I had my first kiss with? Well, he's all grown up now, and seems to be dating this pink-haired ditzy Elf named Shizuka. _

_ I don't like her though, there's something about her that gives me chills more than Zaken's crew ever could. The face she displays doesn't seem to be her true one…I just hope I'm wrong, Ryonai seems really taken with her. _

_ Ryonai was in Heine for some reason, and he somehow convinced me to join his Clan. Yeah, his visions of grandeur are still very much alive, I can see. He seems to really like Heine, and kept wandering near the south gates of the city to gaze at Innadril Castle. So here you go Diary, you get to be the first to know that I am now Komugi of Haibane. Exciting, I know. They seem to lack a decent Prophet. We'll not count that rice-for-brains Koyori. I'm surprised they're not all dead yet with just her to rely on. _

_ Narlafayn went into this mild shock after what happened in the Garden, and Vuylay said she was going to take her back to the Elven Village to recuperate. I'm surprised more of us aren't in a mild state of shock…we all faced a god, saw a window into another world, and lost someone to it. _

_ Melissan is…dead, I think. Amari told me that when they passed her again, she had been turned to clay. Some part of me wants to skeptically wonder if she was ever alive to begin with, or if she were just a clever ploy used by the gods to lure us into that room. _

_ I haven't seen Valimos since the Garden, luckily. He seems to have finally gotten it through his head that I'm NOT his personal heal slave just because he knows me. If he was that protective over someone who was just a useful acquaintance, I can't begin to imagine how he'll be whenever he finds himself a girlfriend. _

_ Speaking of relationships, I suppose you could say Zaken and I are in one ourselves. I'm not exactly sure how this is going to work, with him being a vampire and all. We haven't seen each other since the Garden of Eva, and I'm beginning to wonder if he thinks I've abandoned him again or something. He's incredibly pessimistic for a Grand Pirate, and is quick to believe the most dreadful outcome for any situation. I forgive him because underneath it all, he's a cuddly little boy. But you didn't hear that from me; I think he'd die a 2nd time if he knew I called him 'cuddly' instead of 'feared'. _

_ As I search for inter-dimensional travel texts, I've been making sure to keep an eye out for any information regarding the Giants and the curses attached to their technology. Haven't found anything yet, but I'm not surprised. Anything dealing with the Giants is extremely hard to find in a casual setting. I'm sure the Ivory Tower has tons of information on it. If only I could somehow get into their library…_

Komugi sighed and stretched against the bookshelf she'd seated herself against. She leaned her head back against the knotted wood and stared lazily to the ceiling of the Ruins' library. Somewhere beneath the Ruins, it was said there was a demon named Baphomet lurking in a dungeon, sealed away for all time. This legend frightened many people from venturing as far into the dungeon as she did, but Komugi didn't believe it for a second. Perhaps a demon named Baphomet lived there at one time, but surely enough time has passed that a hero had already emerged and done the demon in. Still, people were frightened of the possibility, and it left the Ruins blessedly quiet save for the sounds of swordies fighting in the rooms near the entryway.

Snapping her diary shut, Komugi stowed it in her travel pack and pushed herself to her feet. The time she allowed herself for a break through, she blew her hair from her eyes loudly, and picked up a book off the shelf she'd left off on.

Some time had passed before she heard the sound of someone exerting themselves in battle. She didn't look up as the person entered the library, their leather armor squeaking as they slowed from running.

"Hello there." A soft-toned male voice came. Komugi glanced up to find a Dark Elf with spiked auburn hair looking at her in surprise. Komugi eyeballed him without expression until he sheathed his sword at his waist, and approached her with a friendly smile.

"Hi." She said flatly, returning to her book. It was odd for a Dark Elf to be hunting in the Elven Ruins, and she didn't trust him despite his friendly face.

"What are you doing down here?" he asked curiously, leaning over to look at the title of the book she held. "Studying?"

"Yep." Komugi grunted, shutting the book and returning it to the shelf. She scooted to the side as the Dark Elf stood next to her, staring at the titles displayed on the spines.

"My name is Zaren, what's yours?" he introduced, his voice still light and without malice.

"Komugi." She answered with a sigh. One thing that always aggravated her was to be interrupted while she was studying. She hated it when Sharmin would do it to tease her, and she hated it even more when someone was trying to be social. Socializing would happen on her own terms, not while she was trying to study.

"I'm down here a lot; can I help you find something?" Zaren inquired politely as Komugi put the book back on the shelf with another aggravated sigh.

"Like I believe that, I've been down here for days and have never seen you before." Komugi said, rolling her eyes. If this guy was trying to pick her up, he was doing a really bad job of it. Why was it always Dark Elves as well? She was always told there weren't many of the race in comparison to the other races, but she seemed to see them everywhere. Maybe they were like cats, and just were drawn to people who didn't like them, just to be annoying.

"I was on the mainland, receiving my next training lessons." Zaren said without hesitation, and smiled. "As good as the teachers are here, they can't train me like I need to become a Shilen Knight." He sighed, as if saddened by that fact. "It's a pity too, I'd much rather become a Paladin, but despite the open minds of the now, tradition still remains the ruling factor of the world." Getting irritated that he wouldn't be silent while she read, Komugi grumbled inwardly and exchanged books once more. She quickly thought up a task to give him, just so she could have some peace and quiet.

"I'm looking for any information on the Pirate King, so if you know where that is—"

"Ah, the only book with that in it would be History of Demonology on the second level." He said, moving quickly towards the ramp that led to the second level. Komugi blinked at him with large eyes, stunned as he appeared again on the second level and scanned a shelf quickly before plucking a book from it. "Here you go." He said, dropping the book down to her. Komugi caught it with both arms, clutching the bound papers to her chest and wincing as dust flew up from it. Zaren plopped onto his bottom to dangle his legs over the side of the second level, and grinned at her.

"Thanks." Komugi said honestly, impressed.

"You'll find the article on him in the chapter about Vampires." He said as she opened the book.

"Read this book often or something?" Komugi asked, lifting an eyebrow. Zaren chuckled and propped one leg up to rest his elbow on.

"Not really, I just have a good memory." He said bashfully. Komugi looked back down at the book and flipped through the pages until she found chapter she sought.

"Grand Pirate Zaken." Komugi read softly to herself. "Also known as the Pirate King of the Neutral Waters. Turned to a Vampire by obtaining forbidden Giant's treasure, this man has made his home in the nearly impenetrable Devil's Isle. Many people have ventured in to steal his treasure or destroy him, but few have returned and no one has succeeded." Komugi shut her eyes into a thin line, remembering the party that came through to fight him, a battle which resulted in Zaken drinking her blood.

"Something wrong? You look like you swallowed sour milk." Zaren asked.

"Just recalled something unpleasant." She answered as she turned the page. She took a breath before focusing on the next paragraph. Her eyebrows raised in interest as she read. "The Grand Pirate is originally said to be from Gracia. The last recorded person to ever be in his presence was the Witch Wimere, a Dark Elfin woman who disappeared not long after returning from Devil's Isle." Komugi raised her head to squint into the air, not focusing on anything. "Wimere…why does that sound so familiar?" she said loudly to no one in particular.

"Witch Wimere lives in a cave underneath the Sylph Waterfall on the edge of the Dark Forest." Zaren said. Komugi blinked several times before focusing on him. "You are doing a report on Zaken? Kind of a dangerous subject, don't you think?" Komugi snapped the book shut and handed it back to him to replace on the shelf.

"Well…nobody really knows much about him, so I thought it'd be a good subject…" she said casually, playing to his suggestion. Searching for inter-dimensional travel texts suddenly seemed boring, now that her curiosity at Zaken's past was piqued. "Thanks for your help, but I think I'm going to get going now." Komugi said with a curt smile.

"I wouldn't bother trying to find Wimere; she's said to not be sane anymore." Zaren warned as she retrieved her bag from the ground.

"Never said I was going to go find her." Komugi lied. She paused as she slung the bag over her shoulder. "You wouldn't happen to know if books on inter-dimensional travel are in here, would you." Zaren thought for a moment and then stood. He wandered over to a bookshelf and scanned it. Frowning, he put a hand to his chin and scanned it again.

"I could've sworn there was…" he said in a distracted voice. Komugi tsked and sighed heavily.

"Damn him." She grumbled, thinking of Vlad. "Well thank you, I'll see you around." She said, managing a friendly smile of gratitude. She slid to a halt as a wild-eyed teen stood in the hallway ahead of her, blocking her projected path of travel. He held a dagger in one hand and panted heavily with a sadistic grin on his face.

"Watch out!" Zaren cried as the teen let out a high-pitched giggle and launched himself at Komugi. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Komugi let her travel pack drop to the floor and quickly cast a binding spell on the advancing teen. His feet were suddenly rooted to the spot by magic, and he looked down at them in confusion, struggling.

"Hey! Leggo!" the teen shouted, pulling on his feet. "Come on man, play fair!" he whined. Komugi rolled her eyes as she past him, the teen swinging his dagger out in an attempt to cut her. "Come on, this isn't a fair fight!" the teen shouted angrily. He looked around himself desperately, searching for another insult to grab her attention. "NOOB!" he bellowed. Komugi halted and turned slowly. He had a triumphant grin on his face.

"Noob, huh?" she responded, pushing a piece of her rose-colored hair from her face.

"NOOB!" the teen shouted again, and then snickered, as if he had come up with the best insult that nobody could ever counter.

"Hey Zaren, take cover, would you?" Komugi called sweetly before walking out into the hallway. The bound teen began shouting his one insulting word at the top of his lungs, until Komugi dashed back into the library with a triumphant grin on her face. Behind her came a train of skeletons and Orcs, drawn out from the rooms they hid themselves in. The bound teen's eyes widened and he began struggling against the magical binding with all of his might. "Bye now." She said with a smirk, spreading her arms out as she cast a spell that would return her quickly to town.

"Aw no fair!" she heard the dagger-holding teen whine as everything disappeared into darkness.

_If only I understood the mechanics of my Return spell._ Komugi thought to herself several days later. She sat on the deck of the ship heading back to the mainland, and stared into the clouds thoughtfully. A dark elf with black hair cropped close to his head stepped out of the passenger's quarters below deck and took a breath of fresh air. Finding Komugi to be the only other passenger on deck at that time, a tight grin crossed his face and he wandered over to her. _Damn it all, not another._ She groaned inwardly. She quickly lowered her face to hide behind the book she had on her lap, pretending to be too busy studying to pay attention to him.

Surprisingly, no voice came to interrupt her, and Komugi peeked up curiously to see if he'd passed her or gone back into the cabin. She drew in a loud gasp and slammed her back against the rough mast she'd propped against, her shoulders scrunched close to her body. Floating in front of her was a chained, demonic-looking black being. The chains dangling from its shoulders rattled as it hovered above the ground, drawing in heavy breaths.

"Fight it." A voice as smooth as ice stated. Komugi shifted her eyes to glance around the shadow, and found the Dark Elf leaning against the mast across from her, his arms folded across his chest with a smirk on his face.

"Not interested." Komugi said woodenly, her eyes large. The man tsked and stood up straight, strolling over to her.

"The ward of Zaken isn't even strong enough to take on even the weakest shadow of a Summoner?" he asked mockingly. Komugi's eyebrows drew downwards as she looked at the Dark Elf smirking above her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said darkly. The Dark Elf chuckled deep in his throat before crouching down to be eye level with the Prophet.

"Don't play innocent little one…Many of us saw you traveling with Zaken before, when he'd go out to feed. Oh don't try to hide your surprise; I can see it trying to show on your face. His glamour enchantments were about as strong as a child's. Anyone with dark magic within them could see right through it for what he really was." He said. Komugi kept her jaw clamped shut and did not respond to his sentence. "Oh well, pity you're not strong enough to fight him." The Dark Elf sighed, turning away from her. Komugi watched him go warily before lifting up her book to read again. Once her guard was dropped, the Dark Elf whipped around and shouted something in Elfish, which caused the shadow he had summoned to dive towards Komugi, fists raised.

Just as Komugi raised her hands to shield her face, there was a strange neigh from the cabin door, and the sound of clopping hooves. Komugi lowered her hands as no attack from the shadow wounded her body, and discovered a unicorn colt, a summon of a Light Elf, fighting off the shadow.

"Now now, just because I rejected your flirting doesn't mean you take your aggression out on the first innocent face you see." The smooth voice of a woman came. The Dark Elf made a nasty face as a blonde Light Elf emerged from the lower cabin. The colt returned to her side and she patted its head lovingly while smirking at the Dark Elf. "Behave yourself Bisclaveret or I'll have to get serious." She said in a low voice. Bisclaveret scowled at her for another moment before spitting and walking back down into the cabin. "Are you injured?" the Light Elf asked as soon as Bisclaveret was below the deck.

"No, thanks." Komugi said, blinking large eyes. The Light Elf's smile warm, she dismissed the unicorn with a wave of her hand and sat down next to Komugi.

"My name is Fr…" she halted and thought for a moment. Komugi lifted an eyebrow at her and frowned. "My name is Deedlit." She finished with a smile. "May I inquire yours?"

Her trust of the Light Elf had diminished to zero in that one hesitant introduction, catching the woman's obvious disguising of her name. "Koyori." Komugi responded, and returned to looking at her book. "Thank you again for your help, but I must study this spell." Similar to Zaren, 'Deedlit' did not move and leaned over to peer at the book she held.

"Oh, you are a Prophet?" she asked in surprise.

"Duh." Komugi answered, not looking at her. "What'd you think I was?"

"Well, judging by your armor, I thought perhaps you were a Witch or a Sorceress." Deedlit stated with large eyes. Komugi had traded in her teal Karmian robe set after the events in the Garden of Eva and now wore silver Full Plate armor. Modified for spell casters, it consisted of a metal bodice and a heavy skirt that ended below her knees. Determined to journey alone, she'd given up wearing robes for the more protective set of clothing. She was still very weak in her dual sword wielding, but her determination was stronger than most monsters that had come at her.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Komugi said lightly, sighing through her nose.

"I couldn't help but overhear the name 'Zaken' as I came from below…are you perhaps somehow connected with the Legendary Pirate King?" Deedlit suddenly asked bluntly. Komugi stiffened inwardly and glanced up at Deedlit again. Her expression was not one of curiosity, but almost a cold animosity that caused Komugi's temper to flare.

"No more connected than you are." Komugi responded flatly, lowering her eyelids at the Elf. Her eyebrows twitched slightly as she swore that Deedlit's blue eyes flashed an almost crystalline shade of the color for a moment.

"I see." Deedlit said, shutting her eyes as she smiled. She was silent after that, and Komugi returned to her book, assuming their conversation through. The Elf did not move from her spot, and Komugi could feel her staring a hole into the top of her head.

"Can I help you?" she finally snapped, looking up at Deedlit once again.

"Where are you heading to?" Deedlit asked sweetly, ignoring Komugi's tone of voice.

"I'm grateful for how you helped me with Mister Phantom Summoner, but I really don't think it's any of your business where I go." Komugi said in a hard voice, staring at her book. _Why can't people just let me READ?_ She thought in irritation.

"I apologize; I was just wondering if we were headed to the same destination is all." Deedlit said with a smile. "I'm switching boats in Gludin to head to Giran, are you doing the same?" Komugi sighed heavily and looked up at the Light Elf once more, who smiled sweetly at her.

"I'm going to the Dark Forest; I've got some things to study there." Komugi finally answered, shutting her book with a snap. Her temper flared again at the look of relief on Deedlit's face.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Deedlit said despite the genuine smile on her face. "I had hoped we would've been able to get to know one another a bit better."

_Yeah I'll bet you do._ Komugi thought bitterly, forcing herself to sarcastically return Deedlit's smile. Aloud she said "Perhaps we will cross paths again one day."

"Oh, I'm sure we will." Deedlit responded, her smile darkening slightly. Creeped out by all things' Elfin, Komugi pushed herself to her feet and retreated to the hammock she'd been given for the boat ride. _Why do I always attract weirdoes?_ She thought angrily as she climbed into the bed. _Can I ask for NORMAL people for once? Just one normal person? Can't you gods be nice enough to grant me that?_ When she received no reply, she stuck her tongue out towards the ceiling, imagining the gods in the heavens could see her action. _Fine, who needs you?_ She thought as she made the most hateful face she could muster.


	2. Chapter 2

Komugi traveled from Gludin to Gludio by Gatekeeper spell, but then took the month-long journey to the Elven lands on foot. It was slow and lonely, but she was thankful for the peace and quiet away from humanity.  
Feeling the urge to socialize with someone one chilly evening, Komugi pulled a piece of parchment from her travel pack and jotted down the words "I'm ok, but I'm lonely" on it. Putting away her ink quill, she then pulled out a black sack and made a face as she reached within it. Withdrawing her hand again, she grimaced as she opened it. Nestled in her palm was a wiggling black thing that resembled a slug. This was a strange creature created from Black Magic of Zaken's design. He'd given them to her when they parted after the Garden of Eva.  
Putting her fingers to her lips in the motion she usually did for the first part of the Kiss of Eva spell, she shut her eyes and said a line that Zaken had made sure she memorized. Komugi's lips became a blood red in that instant, as if she had lacquered them. Holding the hand that held the wriggling slug close to her mouth, she pursed her lips and blew gently over it. The red seemed to flake off with her breath, and attach itself to the slug. The thing froze, and then began to bubble as if its guts were boiling inside of it. She dropped it to the ground calmly, and watched as it turned into Sairon, one of the demon-possessed dolls that helped protect his island.  
"Take this to him, will you?" she asked it, holding out the paper. Resembling a little girl in a red dress with blonde hair cut into a short bob, Sairon was one of the more agreeable things living in Devil's Isle. Usually she had smaller dolls accompanying her, but with Zaken's magic, Komugi was able to summon her alone. Sairon's neck made clicking noises as she tilted her head at the paper. She reached up, her joints clicking like clockwork, and took the paper from Komugi's hand. Then she spun quickly and took to the air, zooming off into the night sky like some sort of bizarre helicopter.  
Several hours later there was a heavy thud in the darkness just outside of the range of her campfire. Komugi stood, her heart thudding in anticipation. Her blanket fell away from her shoulders as she quickly attempted to make herself presentable. Her anticipation quickly turned to embarrassment, and then to anger as the figure that emerged into the firelight was not Zaken, but a skeletal man. His skin was taut and dry, and stretched across his bones. There was no flesh beneath his skin, but he still had eyes despite the fact that his sockets were visible beneath the grayed skin.  
"Tillion..." Komugi said flatly as the undead man jaunted up to her with a grin on his face. "What are you doing here, that message was for Zaken."  
"Zaken's indisposed at the moment, so I took the liberty to come and keep you company." He said smugly, sitting down near her fire and grabbing a handful of the popcorn she'd made for herself for dinner. He reclined against a rock and folded one bony arm behind his head as he flipped a piece of the food into the air and caught it with his mouth. Tillion was Zaken's chief mate from his plundering days, and lived on the opposite side of Devil's Isle. Zaken had introduced her to him while he tutored her in swordplay, using the man as a training dummy despite his protesting. He'd taken a shine to her after that, and whenever Zaken wasn't around her, he was sure to be there, trying to get her attention.  
"If he's busy then I could've waited." Komugi said through clenched teeth. Tillion tilted his head slightly as he chewed with his mouth open, giving her his smug grin again. "Why are you reading his mail anyway? That's really rude." She glared as she sat down, pulling her blanket back up around her shoulders.  
"I don't think he'll notice. Like I said, he's busy." Tillion said with a grin. "It's about time you made yourself known though, I think Zaken gave up on you." Komugi gave him a look of horror as he launched another piece of popcorn in the air.  
"What do you mean 'gave up on me'? He knows very well that I'm studying to retrieve my sister!" Komugi snapped at him.  
"He gave you those summoning worms to keep in touch with him. Not my fault that you only use men when they convenience you." Tillion shrugged, launching another piece of popcorn into the air. Komugi hissed like a cat and glared at the popcorn while it was in the air. Ice instantly grew around it, and it smacked Tillion on the forehead with a loud crack. "OW!" he cried, leaning over and holding his forehead. "Oh come on Komugi, don't be like that!" Tillion whined, looking up at her. "I just managed to grow some more skin, too!" Where the ice had hit him had ripped the skin apart, exposing bleached white bone beneath.  
"Leave Tillion, you're pissing me off." Komugi growled, burrowing into her blanket.  
"But you said you were lonely!" Tillion protested, reaching for more popcorn. Komugi stomped her foot on the bag and dragged it across the grass towards her.  
"Not lonely enough to want YOUR company." She glared from the depths of her blanket, her head visible only down to her nose. Tillion frowned at her in a pouting manner, trying to muster up a pleading look. Komugi only glared, unphased by anything he could throw at her. In life perhaps he had been attractive and maybe Komugi would've reconsidered keeping his company if he were still as such, but his personality far outweighed anything else, and she hated the man with a passion. Tillion finally stood, realizing that she wasn't going to be moved.  
"Can I at least take some more of that popcorn with me?" he asked.  
"LEAVE." She snarled. Tillion raised his hands and backed into the shadows backwards. Not moving until she was sure he was gone, Komugi sighed and relaxed. "What's the big idea being busy, Zaken?" she mumbled into the night air. Summer had faded halfway through her journey across the Neutral Zone, leaving a chilly fall in its wake. Although forever insisting to herself that she'd never fall for anyone past a cuddly fancy, Komugi found herself missing Zaken's embrace, even the one he'd put her in while feeding on her. They'd only kissed once, and she felt as if it were unfair that she couldn't get more than that. Her eyes snapped open as she realized what she was thinking, and she glared into the darkness, annoyed. "It seems I only have my choice between Dark Elves and vampires these days. Why can't I have normal relationships with people?" she asked no one, and then fell heavily onto her side and stared into the dancing flames of her campfire. Cocooning herself into her blanket she sighed one last time and shut her eyes to sleep.

Komugi continued onward, and within a few weeks she crossed the bridge into the Elven Forest, and began walking towards the Sylph Waterfall. She could see it in the distance casting up a misty rainbow. The water was said in history to once have healing properties, but now it flowed with toxins from the Sea of Spores in it, making it dangerous to consume without boiling it first. It was said that the Sylph Waterfall's change had formed the Swampland, but no one knew for sure if it were true or just the Dark Elves trying to not admit to destroying their own land.  
It took her a day to travel the expanse of land, and reached the lagoon the waterfall emptied into by noon. She blinked in surprise as a group of four men met her vision.  
"Hey, it's the fuzzy bunny rabbit!" Vlad said cheerfully as she approached. The other three looked over their shoulders with large eyes and then cursed. Komugi sighed in exasperation and lowered her head to shield her vision with her hand. They had been urinating into the water openly.  
"You guys are pigs when there are no girls around." She said bitterly. "And what's with this fuzzy bunny rabbit crap?" she glared at Vlad.  
"You're not going to tell Cesa are you?" a light elf that Komugi had never met before whined, his lower lip trembling.  
"But you're so innocent looking, just like a bunny rabbit." Vlad explained, ignoring the Light Elf. "You probably taste good like one too, mind if I have a bite?"  
"What are you guys doing here?" Komugi asked, putting her hands on her hips. The last two men facing the water were both Dark Elves. One had crouched to the grass in horror, but the other finished what he was doing and turned around after making himself decent.  
"I thought that was your voice." Terebel said with a grin. "Komugi, right?" He glanced down at the Dark Elf with crimson hair next to him. Komugi realized it was Amari's back that she was looking at, and sighed in exasperation as she turned her back to give him privacy to make himself decent.  
"I need to speak with the Witch Wimere about something." Komugi said loudly to be heard over the roar of water.  
"Thank you." Amari said, fixing his robe.  
"Funny, we're here to kill the Witch Wimere. Want to join up?" Vlad asked as Komugi turned back around.  
"Why are you killing her? What'd she do to you?" Komugi asked with a frown. Vlad shrugged and motioned towards Terebel, who was climbing up on a rock ledge to scout the area for any one who wanted to bother them.  
"I'm always up for a good scuffle, but it was this guy's idea for us to all go up against Wimere. He's been so desperate for a bit of money that he's been taking on odd mercenary jobs for almost a year now. He found an old wanted poster for Wimere in the Temple in the Elven Village so…here we are." He finished.  
"I need to make the forest safe for my tree blessing." The Light Elf stated with shining eyes. Komugi lifted an eyebrow at him as he gazed into the sky with hands clasped underneath his chin.  
"Who's the head case?" she asked, jerking a thumb towards him.  
"That is Celleriant." Amari said, folding his arms around his staff. "You'll have to forgive his quirks, not only is he a tree hugger, but he's also married with a child. We pity the effect it's had on his head." Amari shook his head sadly as if being married with a family was the worst thing ever.  
"My little tree blessing is as beautiful as his beautiful willow of a mother!" Celleriant said to no one, his eyes still sparkling. "Ah~ how I miss them!" he sniffled and wiped under one of his eyes.

"Alright, it's clear! Let's go!" Terebel said loudly, jumping down from the ledge. "Want to come with? We'll let you do your socializing before we lop off her head, no worries." He said with a smile. Komugi lifted an eyebrow as the group began walking along the path around the lagoon that led to a cave behind the waterfall.  
"How's Narlafayn?" she asked, jogging to walk next to the Bladedancer.  
"She's doing better, actually." Terebel said, not looking at her. "She and Vuylay left to finish up their tasks to move up in the world." There was something hard in Terebel's tone of voice as he spoke that struck her as curious.  
"I'm surprised he let her out of his sight, he's been keeping tabs on her as if she were some sort of rare pet." Amari snickered from behind them.  
"Yeah well, I figured spending some time apart will do us both good." Terebel muttered. Komugi barely heard him as the waterfall's roar grew louder.  
"You have a fight with her?" Komugi prodded, always loving to hear some good gossip.  
"Nope, nothing of the sort. We're actually getting along better than usual." Terebel responded lightly. He ended it with that sentence, and moved on ahead of Komugi, leaving her confused.  
They entered the cave as quietly as they could, the only sounds inside that of water dripping from somewhere deep within. It was dark inside, and Amari quickly whispered a fire spell to light the end of a branch he'd brought with him.  
"Mind giving us some of those enhancing spells you have? We're just working on Terebel's magic dances and Celery's magic songs, so we could use them." Vlad asked. Irked that she was getting held up, Komugi sighed and cast spells upon the men as quickly as she could. Her spells, called buffs, were useful to enhance people with magic for a temporary amount of time. They were highly sought after spells, and knowing them almost always guaranteed her safety in any hostile situation. Good Prophets were a nearly rare commodity, and an intelligent enemy would keep one alive, even if it meant holding them in captivity for the rest of their lives.  
"Who's there?" a strong voice asked from deep within the cave. Komugi, halfway through reciting her final buff spell on Amari, stopped talking to stare into the darkness with large eyes. The voice was female, and had a rough edge to it.  
"Just some boys looking for a hot chick." Terebel responded happily. Amari made a disgusted noise and put a hand to his head and Vlad scratched the back of his head.  
"I thought we were going to kill her." Vlad stated loudly. Terebel turned to hush him with a hiss.  
"Leave, or I will kill you. I wish to be left alone!" the woman's voice came again, angry.  
"Forgive their impudence, they are but immature children." Komugi called out now, stepping in front of Terebel. "Forgive me for being bold, but are you the Witch Wimere?" Although rarely used, Komugi had excelled in her studies on formalities. Healers usually ended up being in the employment of kings and lords, so all Mystics were given a strict course in etiquette.  
"Aren't we older than her by like…at least thirty years apiece?" Vlad mumbled to Amari.  
"I'm not immature." Terebel glared, sticking his lower lip out in a pout.  
"Who wishes to know?" the voice called in response after a moment of thoughtful silence.  
"I am Komugi, a mere scholar studying the ways of the world. Might I partake of some of your vast wisdom?" Komugi said back, squaring her shoulders in an attempt to make herself look older.  
"Partake of your vast knowledge?" Vlad snickered. He put his hand on Amari's shoulder as he laughed, tears welling up in his eyes.  
"Shut up!" Komugi hissed at him. There was the sound of scraping in the darkness ahead of them, and they all fell silent, watching the inky blackness intently.  
"If you wanted to partake of my knowledge, why did you come with men who bear arms that stink of blood?" the voice came again, this time closer to them. Behind her, Komugi could feel Terebel stiffen, the air around him changing as his Dark Elven bloodlust began to rise.  
"As I said, I am but a simple scholar. These men are my bodyguards, employed to protect me as I travel through the land." Komugi said maturely.  
"Is this the same girl we came in with?" Amari asked Vlad in a low voice, raising an eyebrow at the back of her head.  
"Good actress, ain't she?" Vlad answered in an equally low tone, bobbing his head up and down. Komugi squinted as something gleamed in the darkness as the owner of the voice moved.  
"Yes, I am Wimere." The voice finally answered. "I will speak with you, but only if you leave your entourage at the entrance. I do not trust men."  
"You heard her boys, stay put." Komugi commanded them as she shouldered her travel pack.  
"Going in there alone is very stupid of you, you realize." Terebel stated. "You can't seriously trust her to not harm you."  
"Yeah well, my information retrieval is a bit more important than your sudden sense of justice, so go amuse yourself by peeing in the river again or something." Komugi said, waving her hand to brush them off.  
"Wimere knows something about dimensional travel?" Amari asked, raising his eyebrows in interest.  
"Uh yeah…something like that." Komugi responded, handing Celleriant her duals. "You look like the most trustworthy out of these guys, hold those for me." She commanded him. He had been silent the entire time, staring into the darkness fearfully. Now he looked at her with the same wide eyed stare, and obediently took the swords from her.  
"Hey! I'm trustworthy!" Terebel huffed, pouting again. Komugi eyeballed him as she passed, lifting an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, real trustworthy. The bloodlust is so thick over here that it's almost tangible. I think you need to go take a cold shower or something." She said flatly, walking away from him and into the darkness.  
"She does have a point there, I'm feeling rather antsy myself because of you." Vlad said professionally, patting Terebel on the shoulder.  
"What's got you so on edge anyway?" Amari asked, walking to the mouth of the cave and sitting down. "You've been like this since…wow, since before Celery tied the knot with Cesa. So that makes it…over a year now." Terebel cleared his throat and shifted on his feet.  
"Nothing." He said lightly, adjusting his gauntlets.

Komugi walked carefully through the cave, which was so dark that she couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. She had been walking for a long time; the boys' voices had long since faded into a distant echo.  
"Are you here?" Komugi called, holding her hands out in front of her body. She sensed another presence in front of her, but she couldn't tell if it were a wall or a person. Her toe hit something on the ground and she fell over, landing on something rank and soft. Something squished as she pushed her hand against whatever she fell upon, and she could feel goo surrounding her fingers. A light suddenly flared to life, and Komugi yelped as she discovered she'd landed upon a partially rotted body of a Light Elf child. She flew backwards only to land on another squishy form, and screamed as she discovered it to be another body, this one indiscernible. She pushed herself to her feet and looked around in panic as another light flared to life, revealing her to be amidst a pile of bodies.  
"Do forgive me for not cleaning, I wasn't expecting company." Wimere's amused voice came. Realizing that she'd put her hands through the chest cavities of the corpses, Komugi made disgusted noises in her throat and wiped her hands vigorously on her skirt. "That disgusted by the natural process of things I see. You must be a Prophet." Komugi stepped away from the bodies as quickly as she could, and raised her  
head to look at Wimere.  
She sat on a plush red throne, stroking the head of a female shadow servitor that floated nearby her. Her hair fell in soft, wavy clumps over her shoulders, and was a black sort of green, like the leaves on the trees of the Dark Forest. Strange, wing bone like appendages grew from her shoulders, and curved around the shape of her head almost giving her the appearance that they were horns instead of the starts of wings. She wore a strange black dress that barely covered her breasts, leaving the underside of them fully exposed along with her torso. The dress came together again at her waist, providing cover for her body there. There was a mirade of buckles and straps around her waist, which definitely whispered of Dark Elven fashion sense. Her skin was a purple sort of white instead of blue-grey, however, and her legs had grown longer than her body should've allowed, giving her a very warped appearance.  
"No problems…love what you did…with the place…" Komugi said in a distracted voice as she glanced around the cave. The light came from blue orbs that swirled above torch pillars placed on either side of Wimere's throne. There were cargo boxes pushed into the corners, and old tattered furniture set about the cavern in some sort of mockery of a home. The bodies of those Wimere had killed were piled against the  
far wall, that Komugi had unfortunately stumbled upon. They did not stink, surprisingly, and she figured that Wimere's magic was preventing it somehow.  
"My patience is a very short line, child. What did you want of me?" Wimere asked without expression. "You should feel grateful that I am feeling socialable today."  
"I actually wanted to um…learn about you, Miss Wimere. Your story, how you became how you are now." Komugi lied, hoping her smile seemed genuine. Wimere's eyes narrowed slightly and she pursed her lips. "I um…feel that you are wrongfully feared…and that I would um…like to help people understand the pain you feel." Komugi was pulling words from the top of head, and glanced quickly at the pile of bodies while she took a seat on one of the storage crates.  
Wimere regarded her silently for a moment before breaking out into sultry laughter. "I am wrongfully feared? Now I know that you lie to me child, but I am far too amused to kill you. What is it you really seek?" she reclined in her chair as she spoke, watching Komugi with an expression of dark amusement.  
"I am being honest…" Komugi shrugged, leaning her head over to scratch her neck. Wimere's eyes suddenly widened and she bolted up from her seat with a look of horror.  
"What is that on your neck?" Wimere demanded, striding over to Komugi with frightening grace. Komugi slapped a hand against her neck as if killing a pesky bug there and blinked in confusion at the demonic Witch.  
"Nothing's on my neck." She said with a frown. "I had an itch, is that so wrong?" Without a word Wimere grabbed Komugi by her arm and pulled her off of the crate. "Hey, let go!" she shouted, straining against the inhuman grip the woman had on her. She gripped the back of Komugi's head at the base and clamped her mouth over the girl's neck. Komugi groaned loudly and struggled as the woman ran her tongue over her skin, shuddering in disgust at the feel of it. "LET GO OF ME!" Komugi shouted. Wimere changed her grip and clutched the girl around her throat, then slammed her against the cavern wall.  
"The kiss of Zaken! How dare you have that upon your body and still live!" Wimere hissed. It occurred to Komugi that she was growing taller, and began to take on a resemblance to the Bloody Queens of Dragon Valley. She narrowed her eyes and brought her face in close, hissing softly under her breath. "I see…you are infatuated with him." It was now that it occurred to Komugi that Wimere had been casting a spell on her all of that time, a spell that would open up Komugi's thoughts to the Witch like a book. Wimere chuckled deep in her throat. "Yes, you are a smart one. Not many people know of that spell….only those who have somehow known Zaken know that a spell like that even exists." Komugi choked and gripped Wimere's arm, cursing at her with all of her might in her mind since her vocal cords were being crushed. "You are a nasty one…who are you to Zaken, tell me!" Wimere demanded.  
"Piss off." Komugi rasped. Wimere snarled like a beast and squeezed her hand, causing Komugi to gasp loudly for air. Wimere's eyes bored into Komugi's, and she could feel the Witch's spell prying open more of her mind. Wimere's eyes widened and she gasped lightly as Komugi was forced to recall the night after Sharmin was taken, when Zaken had first kissed her in the reef.  
"So….he really did forget me." Wimere whispered, tears welling in her eyes. The moment of vulnerability passed quickly and she growled loudly as she reclaimed her grip on Komugi's neck. "What could you have to offer to Zaken that I could not? You, a flat-chested CHILD! I lived with him on the Island; I took an interest in his view of the world and studied Kurikups' magic! Did I not show my utmost devotion to him by giving up my humanity? Did I not abide by every desire he wanted?" she shouted.  
"Probably got tired of clingy, old women who can't think for themselves." Komugi managed to get out with a cocky grin. Wimere stared at her in silent horror for a moment before letting out a screeching scream like a child throwing a temper tantrum, and flinging the smaller girl across the cavern. Komugi hit the wall on the opposite side of the cavern hard, and fell to the ground like a doll. She pushed herself up and began coughing, putting a hand to her throat.  
"Kill her!" Wimere shouted, and a skeleton wearing heavy blackened armor that made a beeline for Komugi joined her servitor. The servitor was knocked away by a discharge of energy that formed a ring shockwave, hitting the skeleton in the head and knocking him on his back.  
"YAY!" Vlad exclaimed happily, running into the cavern. His face turned from childish glee to a dark and sinister expression an instant afterwards, and he brought his swords around to hit the skeleton as it pulled itself back to its feet. Terebel and Celleriant ran in after him, and ran for Wimere, who backed against the wall with large eyes. Amari walked into the cavern calmly, and helped Komugi to her feet before focusing on Wimere and shutting his eyes as he cast a spell.  
Wimere was stronger than she looked, and she had cast a spell that thickened her skin to an almost armor-like property. Celleriant went running for her first, shouting a battle yell, and was flung across the cavern by one flick of her wrist. Komugi helped him to his feet again, and cast a quick spell on his head, where landing on a rock had wounded it. Amari cast a spell that looked to be a razor blade of air, and it penetrated Wimere's magic and cut her deeply on her arm. She screeched at the feel of it, and then let out a loud gasp that belied on a scream as both of Terebel's swords went through her stomach.  
"Aw man, you've been getting the fun part way too much recently." Vlad said with a pout. Wimere stepped away from his swords, pulling them from her own body with the movement, and pressed a hand against the wound. She fell against the back of the cavern, and slid to her knees.  
"How can this be? My magic was taught to me by Kurikups himself!" Wimere gasped, staring into the air with large eyes. She focused on Amari, whose spell was the first to penetrate her magic. "Who are you?" she asked breathlessly. Amari did not answer her, his face hidden in the shadow cast by his hair. Wimere looked down at the wound in her stomach and coughed, gout of blood coming out to match the flow pumping out of her body. She looked at Komugi, her eyes clouding over slightly. "You, beloved of Zaken…" she began.

"Beloved of Zaken?" Vlad repeated, looking at Komugi in surprise.

"I cannot tell you anything of him. Not because I don't want to tell you, but because he never spoke of himself to me. In a way, I suppose, I was just like you." Wimere chuckled slightly, and then winced in pain. "Magus Kenishee…." She drew in a gasping breath, her blood pooling around her in a great circle. "The Magus…she is the one at fault for telling Zaken of the treasure…I am sorry…but that is all I know…" Wimere's voice faded as she spoke, her eyes transfixed on nothing in particular. Her jaw dropped open as her body relaxed with death, and her eyes rolled up slightly in her head. She made a truly horrifying picture, and Komugi winced and looked away, trying to will the image away from her mind's eye. Celleriant put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she opened her eyes to see him smiling gently at her.  
"I hope you got what you needed from her, because she's very dead." Terebel stated as he rummaged through her belongings for the proof that he'd killed her.  
"Don't you feel any remorse?" Komugi snapped, finding her throat unexpectedly seizing with tears. She didn't know why she felt so sad all of a sudden, after all, Wimere had just tried to kill her.  
"Should we?" Vlad asked, raising his eyebrows at her.  
"When I look at that pile of bodies in the corner there, I definitely feel no remorse." Amari spoke up, his back facing Komugi. His voice was hard and pensive, as if Wimere's words to him had affected him somehow.  
"We've lingered amongst the dead too long, let's get back out in the fresh air." Celleriant's gentle voice spoke up. Komugi took the swords he held out to her, and she spun on her heel without a word and walked back out and into the sunshine. She wasn't sure what disturbed her more at this point, the fact that Wimere was Zaken's ex-girlfriend, or the fact that she'd just assisted in killing someone.

They returned to the village by opening up the Gatekeeper scrolls, and Celleriant was greeted by an enthusiastic blur of pink. "Darling!" a Light Elf that Komugi could only assume was Cesa proclaimed happily. "I missed you so much! The Mother Tree was worried sick about you!" she said as she pulled away.  
"Oh no, I should go apologize for worrying her!" Celleriant said. Komugi stared at him speechlessly, not believing that the pair was serious.  
"Let's go right now!" Cesa said excitedly, grabbing his hand.  
"Alright!" he beamed. With that they took off for the North Gate, towards the Mother Tree.  
"Is that their secret code to go make out or something?" Komugi asked Terebel as he passed her.  
"Nope, they're seriously going to go hug that tree." Terebel said. Komugi's eye twitched as she looked back towards the North Gate.  
"Hello, I don't think I know you, but I see you're in Haibane." A voice came. Komugi turned back around to find a blonde light elf holding a chubby elf baby on her hip looking at her intently. She wore maroon doom robes, so Komugi assumed she was a spell caster of some sort. "My name is Lavinia."  
"Komugi." Komugi responded, finding that she liked the aura around this Elf. She seemed mature and down to earth, and this appealed to her. Komugi looked down at the baby with big eyes as he reached out and began patting her chest armor right on her breast.  
"Waverly, behave!" Lavinia scolded, pulling the boy away. "I'm sorry, my nephew seems to like armor a bit too much." She apologized sheepishly.  
"That's fine…" Komugi said slowly, lifting a protective arm to cover her chest. Some boys started early, she guessed. "Celery's kid?" she guessed as Lavinia motioned for her to follow.  
"Yeah, and my sister Cesa's." Lavinia said with a sigh. "She's always leaving him behind when she wants to go talk to those dang trees. He cries every time he sees one, so she leaves him home when she's got the urge to chatter." They passed a large tree in the center of the village, and Waverly suddenly broke out into a loud wail. "See? Every time."  
"Think he hates trees?" Komugi asked with a smirk, and Lavinia laughed aloud.  
"Wouldn't that be something!" she said, patting the crying baby on the back.  
A tall, muscular woman with short cropped blonde hair suddenly emerged from a house as Komugi approached it with Lavinia, and sniffed the air like an animal. Her eyes lit up in an almost childlike glee, and she bolted from the door and towards the Gatekeeper. Komugi's eyebrows raised as it appeared the woman was running straight for Vlad with the intent to hug him. She skidded to a stop a few feet away from him, and knelt to the ground in a bow.  
"Good puppy. Did you behave while I was gone?" Vlad asked the woman, patting her on the head like she were nothing but a dog.  
"Yes, I only injured a few people, not killed." The woman announced happily.  
"Good girl." Vlad complimented, patting her again.  
"What the fu…" Komugi began, watching the display in disbelief.  
"Yeah, that's about what I felt when I first saw it. That's Emixia; she's a half-Orc Dark Avenger." Lavinia explained, opening the door of the house. "Narlafayn says that she's got a normal side, but she came in with Vlad the other day and all I've seen is this weird pet obedience towards him." Lavinia sighed and shook her head. "Some part of me wonders if she made herself like that because Vlad is so bad at handling women." She muttered.  
"Creepy." Komugi said with a shudder, wondering how anyone could find Vlad attractive. He wasn't bad looking per-se; she'd learned that he had some Dark Elven blood in him and that helped enhance his looks. He just had too twisted of a personality that she was shocked anyone could get past to find him desirable. _Leave it to anyone with Orcish blood to do the impossible._ She thought blandly.  
Komugi stayed the night with Lavinia and her sister Mune, and learned that Narlafayn had just come out of her shocked state with surprising gusto. It was like she just woke up one morning with new determination, and had packed up with Vuylay to set off to complete her tasks to become a Temple Knight. When asked if Narlafayn and Terebel had gotten into a fight, Lavinia began to snicker, but did not respond either way to the question.  
"So I heard that you've not been having any luck finding books on dimensional travel." Amari said the next day. Komugi looked up from where she sat on the steps connecting the lower part of town with the upper, a book she'd borrowed from Lavinia in her lap. Komugi frowned and sighed heavily as Amari had just reminded her of her lack of luck.  
"If only I had access to the Ivory Tower…I'm sure they've got tons of books." Komugi grumbled, kicking her foot against the step.  
"I have access to the Ivory Tower." Amari said lightly. Komugi's head snapped up quickly and she stared at him wide-eyed. Satisfied that it got her attention, Amari smirked triumphantly and stood up to his full height. "I could get you in if you'd like."  
"Let's go!" Komugi exclaimed, jumping to her feet.  
"Where are we going?" Vlad suddenly asked, walking towards them. Emixia tailed him a few feet behind, glaring and growling at the Light Elf townsfolk that passed them.  
"Ivory Tower." Komugi answered before Amari could.  
"Splendid! Let's go!" Vlad said, rubbing his hands together.  
"You realize that's the LAST place you want to go, right?" Amari stated flatly. Vlad gave him an expressionless look before patting Emixia on her head without even looking at her.  
"Yes but, I've got a watchdog now." He stated. Amari sighed heavily and put a hand to his forehead.  
"Do what you like; I'm not pulling your ass from the fire any more." He suddenly sounded tired, as if Vlad's statement had drained all the energy from him. Komugi shut her eyes into a thin line as they  
made their way towards the Gatekeeper. She had almost thought things would be normal for once, as Amari was more mature and level-headed than most Dark Elves. But now that Vlad and his….pet…were accompanying them, she knew that it would be far from normal. She just hoped they could behave themselves long enough for her to get what she needed from the Tower.


	3. Chapter 3

Komugi stood in the library in the basement of the Ivory Tower, glancing over the titles of the books there. Upon arriving at the place, Amari had worked some sort of mojo with the officials on duty and got Komugi in without even an argument. Vlad and Emixia had disappeared upon arrival, and Komugi thought she'd seen them darting around the basement, looking at books themselves.  
Dimensional travel books seemed to be protected even here as well, and Amari had made his way up to the Human Magic Guild floor to ask them for permission. A mage stood in front of one bookshelf, and Komugi got the distinct feeling that all of the books behind it were banned, by how heavy of enchantments she felt around them.  
Finding a different volume on demonology than the one that had been in the Elven Ruins, Komugi pulled the heavy thing from the shelf and opened it up. The first page she opened it up to had an entry about the Witch Wimere, and Komugi felt a surge of guilt. She hoped Zaken had ended his relationship with her on a bad note, and wouldn't mind that Wimere had been slaughtered.  
Finding a page on Zaken again, Komugi shifted the book in her arms and followed the lines with interest. Sadly she read nothing different than what was in the book in the Elven Ruins, other than this author claimed that Zaken was from a noble family of Gracia. Sighing heavily, Komugi replaced the book on the shelf and began scanning the spines next to it once again.  
"Here ya go." Emixia's voice suddenly came, and Komugi blinked in surprise as a book was launched at her. She caught it in a wince, and looked at the cover, which read "Dimensional Travel: Properties and Methods".  
"Where did you get this?" she asked, impressed. Emixia shrugged and motioned behind her.  
"Over there." She said lightly.  
"MURDER!" a voice suddenly screeched, and Komugi glanced around Emixia quickly. The mage that had stood in front of the enchanted bookshelf now lay on the floor, in a slow spreading pool of blood. A female mage stood over him, and had been the one to scream.  
"Did you do that?" Komugi asked breathlessly.  
"You needed a book." Emixia shrugged, as if she had done nothing wrong.  
"Time to go." Vlad said in an urgent voice, ushering the two girls along. Komugi's chest felt tight with fear, and she ducked her head down as she rushed to the stairway that would take her back to the lobby.  
"You did this!" The mage suddenly cried, and the trio stopped to look at her. She pointed a shaking finger at Komugi. She felt as if her heart would stop then, as she realized she still held a book from the shelf that the mage had been protecting.  
"Her voice is bothersome." Emixia growled, putting a hand on the hilt of her sword. Vlad put a restraining hand on her bicep and shook his head.  
"Later. Don't want to traumatize the little rabbit too much." Vlad said lightly, guiding both women up the stairway.  
"SOMEONE HELP!" the woman cried as they hurried up the stairs. Just as they reached the lobby, a group of mages went thundering past them and down into the basement. Amari stood near a Light Elf Komugi remembered being named Aerin, and watched them retreat right out of the Ivory Tower with large eyes.  
"What happened?" he called as he ran to catch up to them.  
"My pet made a mess downstairs, sorry." Vlad said quickly, not looking at him. Amari stiffened and put a hand to his forehead.  
"Vlad…" Amari said through clenched teeth.  
"I'll pay for the damages…" Vlad said sheepishly. Still feeling shocked at what had just happened; Komugi stared at the back of Emixia's head with unblinking eyes. The Dark Avenger strolled casually ahead, as if nothing had happened.  
"How many times must I tell you that a human life can not be bought off with money?" Amari seethed, glaring at his brother.  
"Works in Elmore." Vlad shrugged.  
"You know better than to use that excuse here." Amari said in a hard voice, narrowing his eyes.  
"I only know better when it benefits me to do so." Vlad said, again in his light voice. "Besides, I just took my eyes off of Emixia for five seconds after telling her 'Mugi up there needed a book on dimensional travel. I'm actually rather proud of her for finding one that quickly." Vlad grinned as if Emixia were a dog that had sniffed out a rare game bird.  
"I don't know why I put up with this…" Amari grumbled. Vlad broke out into a mischievous grin and opened his mouth to respond, but Amari's voice interrupted him. "I have a little summer home about a  
week's travel northwest of here. It's relatively unknown, so you'll be safe there until this blows over." He took up the lead then, showing them the way.  
"What do you mean 'when this blows over'? Someone just DIED!" Komugi finally found her voice, and it all but exploded from her body. "How does something like that just 'blow over'?" She trembled from head to toe, clutching the book tightly despite knowing that it tied her to the death of the mage. Amari glanced over his should at her with a raised eyebrow.  
"Why wouldn't it blow over?" he asked curiously. "Did you forget, that's the Ivory Tower, the cook pot of all things magical? There's bound to be someone who knows a resurrection spell there. If not, they most definitely have a stockpile of resurrection scrolls. That mage is far from dead. A little woozy from blood loss, but definitely not dead." Amari said in one breath before turning back around. "I think they'll be more worried about that book than the guy guarding it sad to say, so after you've read what you need out of there, I'll take it back." Komugi walked slower behind the group, not believing they were taking the whole situation so lightly. _What kind of people are these?_ She asked herself in disbelief.

They traveled for several days without much rest, and finally reached a waterfall connected to the mountains that lined the edge of the continent and blocked the ocean from view. "Ah, almost there."  
Amari announced as a strange, white archway formation came into view. There was a raised platform at the center of it, and Komugi could feel a magic residue lingering around it.  
"What's that?" she asked as they passed it and continued towards a river a hundred feet away.  
"Couldn't tell you." Amari shrugged. "Definitely used for something magical though." He sighed happily as they reached the riverbank, a small cottage nestled against a steep cliff and surrounded by tall pine trees coming into view. "Ah, home sweet home." He said.  
Amari's 'summer home' proved to be something right out of a child's nightmarish fairy tale. The outside of the cabin was normal enough looking, save for a lantern which had a pumpkin with a face carved into it as the light on the end. When she peered into the well, she reeled back in horror at the multitude of small skeletons piled within it, all water depleted from its depths. Inside the cabin, it looked as if Amari never bothered to clean, and cobwebs covered the walls. A side of the cabin had a strange altar of some sort covered in a purple silken cloth, and two half-burned candles sat on either side of a strange symbol.

"Ooh, this place is nice." Vlad commented appreciatively. "I never knew you enjoyed such….demonic things."  
"I don't, this place just obviously used to belong to someone studying the Dark Arts. I find myself closer to Shilen here." Amari shrugged.  
"Yeah, who wouldn't, with all of those children's skeletons in the well and everything…" Komugi said bitterly.  
"Well, it's not nearly as bad as it looks, nobody ever bothers you here." Amari said easily. Komugi shook her head as Amari began to give Vlad and Emixia a tour of the tiny house, and sat outside the door to begin reading the book.

Komugi snuck off with the book later on that night while Vlad, Emixia and Amari were seated around a campfire, talking casually. Emixia raised her head as Komugi silently darted by them, her Orcish sense of smell catching Komugi's scent as she ran.

"What's up?" Vlad asked with interest, noticing Emixia's attentiveness. Emixia squinted slightly into the dark woods, and then turned back around with a shrug.

"Rabbit." She grunted, tearing off a strip of the jerky she held with her teeth.

Komugi clutched the book to her chest as she retraced her steps back to the strange white formation. She slowed to a walk as she neared, gazing up at the giant archway in wonder. It towered over a hundred feet into the air, and looked to have a half gate in the upper arch. The archway was up on a tall pedestal, taller than Zaken even. All of it looked to be made out of the same stuff as the Ivory Tower.

Taking a breath Komugi knelt to the ground and conjured up a light orb to read by as she flipped through the book until she found the page she had marked. Her eyes moved as she memorized the neatly printed words, and then stood, letting the orb dissipate.

"Guardian of the door, open it to me," Komugi began, staring up at the archway and holding her arms out towards it as if to embrace it. "For you are the servant, and I am thy master. Take your keys and unlock the door which keeps the worlds apart."

The air suddenly became thick with a magic that Komugi had never felt before, and she began to shiver as her body strained to harness some control over it. A light suddenly began to swirl in the center of the arch and expanded to cover the inside in an iridescent film. Komugi swallowed hard and strained to keep her eyes focused on the archway.

"Bring me to Sharmin." She whispered, willing more of her strength into the doorway. There was a flash, and suddenly the film expanded from the door, surrounding Komugi in a membrane and sucking her in. She gasped for air, suddenly feeling as if she were being suffocated as she passed through the archway.

It was silent as death inside of the rift she'd made, and she fell quietly through the air. Wind didn't even pass her ears, and she wondered if she were really floating instead of falling. Everything was a murky gray, unlike the black that the Gatekeepers sent her through.

"Did I make it?" she breathed. Although barely a whisper, her voice echoed around her as if she'd shouted. "Take me to Sharmin!" she shouted, then winced as her voice rang back with intensity she'd never before experienced. She clapped her hands over her ears to drown it out, curling into herself at the pain.

"Child of Einhasad's world, what are you doing here?" a warm, comforting feminine voice came. Komugi heard it clearly despite her hands being pressed over her ears, and she relaxed, looking around the murk curiously.

"Do you have my sister? Give her back!" Komugi demanded, not wanting to waste any more time floating around a strange dimension. "I came here for Sharmin!" she stated stubbornly, letting the disembodied voice know she meant business.

"Sharmin?" the voice asked in confusion. "Oh…the one sent through by mistake!" Komugi found herself landing softly on indiscernible ground, and she looked around herself curiously. Everything was still a murky gray, and the floor was difficult to define from the rest of the void. "You were brave and foolish to open the doorway between worlds little one, I applaud you for getting Chronos to behave for you." The voice said in a motherly tone. "However, you are not strong enough to travel between the worlds and back, I'm afraid the strength you need to enter my world would kill you."

"Then bring Sharmin to me!" Komugi said, her throat tightening. She was so close to her, she could feel it!

"I wish I could…" the voice said sadly. A figure of light materialized in front of her wearing long robes with large wings on her back that stretched several feet into the air. For a moment Komugi thought she was looking at Einhasad herself, as this being resembled the statue within the church back at her home on Talking Island. "But you are not strong enough to open the door to your world enough to pass through, and I cannot pull you into my world. It is forbidden."

"What are you talking about? You pulled Sharmin through!" Komugi shouted angrily, her fists clenching at her sides. She felt as if she was getting the run around from this goddess, and it was making her mad. The goddess instantly looked sad, and she glanced away from Komugi's angry stare.

"That was a mistake. I cooperated with Einhasad to bring someone else through…your sister was taken by mistake." She said in a quiet voice. Before Komugi could question what she was speaking of farther, the goddess smiled at her warmly. "I cannot open the door to your world, but I can push Sharmin through from my side if she is willing. Are you confident that she will seek to return?"

"Of course she'd want to come ba…" Komugi stopped mid-sentence as she recalled the strange uneasiness Sharmin had the last time she saw her. Komugi had a bad feeling that something had happened to Sharmin that surpassed anything that had ever happened to her before; by the way Sharmin dodged many questions. What if life was easier in that world? What if she had nothing more to be afraid of there? These fears crept into Komugi's heart and she felt her throat tighten as she knew that if Sharmin were given the choice of returning to the harshness of her world, or to stay in a peaceful world, she'd choose peace. "Sharmin, you idiot. Why did you ever choose to wield the sword if you love peace so much?" Komugi asked quietly, a few tears falling from her eyes.

"Perhaps she took up the sword to fight for the peace she loves?" the goddess offered in a gentle tone. Komugi sniffled loudly and wiped her eyes before clearing her throat and squaring her shoulders.

"Is there anything I can do to remind her that I'm still here waiting for her?" she asked. A strange tugging sensation began in her chest, and Komugi found that her body was shaking with exertion, as if she were holding up something much too heavy for her. The goddess thought for a moment and then nodded.

"There is one thing I can do." She said, taking Komugi's hands. "I can create a new life in my world, a version of you to stay by Sharmin's side." She put her hand on Komugi's cheek and patted it gently. Komugi shut her eyes, finding that the goddess' touch was similar to the comforting hand of her mother. It made her homesick for the past, and she felt tears welling in her eyes again. _When I did I become such a crybaby?_ She asked herself.

"Then perhaps, if Sharmin doesn't want to come back….at least she won't be lonely." Komugi admitted sadly, hating the feeling of helplessness she had. The goddess nodded, and her glowing white wings surrounded them both. Komugi shut her eyes as the light within the tent her wings made became unbearable. She opened them again as she felt the goddess' wings withdraw, and blinked in shock.

In front of her stood a tawny-skinned copy of herself, only this girl had feline-like ears poking through the rose-colored hair on her head, and a long tail emerging from the seat of her shorts. She opened her eyes slowly, and focused on Komugi before her.

"Not bad." Komugi approved, nodding. A stab of pain went through her chest, and Komugi gasped at it and fell to her knees, her hand pressed to the center of her chest. The cat-girl before her kneeled and put her hands on her shoulders in worry, concern etched on her face.

"You've reached your limit, child of Einhasad's world. You must return or you will die." The goddess's voice came.

"Can't you help her?" the cat-girl asked in a voice that sounded like Komugi's own. Komugi put a hand on the cat-girl's arm and gave her a roguish grin.

"Make sure Sharmin stays in line for me, ok?" she requested in a strained voice. She shut her eyes and relaxed a moment later, letting go of the magic she had been holding. She felt herself being sucked through space, and then felt herself flying through the air as she was propelled backwards out of the archway.

"I got her!" she heard Vlad shout. Komugi landed in his arms a second later, and he fell to the ground with an 'oof'.

"What in the glorious abyss were you doing?" Amari's voice came next, hauling her to her feet as she tried to focus. "Now we have to get out of here, the Ivory Tower mages will be able to tell you've opened a dimensional gate!"

"Aww man, I liked it here too…" Vlad pouted, pushing himself up.

"I did what I came to do, what's the big deal?" Komugi retorted, and then wobbled. She put a hand to her head, suddenly feeling dizzy. Emixia caught her before she fell, and lifted her up. Normally Komugi would protest, as it felt odd to be carried by another woman, but she figured she'd rather Emixia carry her than Vlad, and Amari's arms were much to skinny even for her slight weight.

"Now where are we to go?" Amari continued to groan, grabbing handfuls of his hair and clenching them. "Oh man, they're going to discover my summer home and then I'll never get any peace and quiet…" he turned away with a noise that sounded like 'Argh'.

"Gludin." Komugi decided for them. She wasn't sure why, but she felt compelled to return there. Amari sighed in exasperation and put a hand to his head as if it had begun to pound.

"You realize that's months of travel away from our current location, right?" he asked bitterly.

"We've all got money, let's just take the Gatekeepers." Komugi said flatly.

"You just opened a gate between our world and who knows where, and yet you still want to travel by Gatekeeper? Wow, I like this girl, she's crazier than me." Vlad grinned, standing next to Emixia. Komugi gave him an annoyed glare, and he winked at her.

"Fine, the three of you go to Gludin, but now I'm going to have to throw the Ivory Tower hounds off of your trail." Amari sighed. "Where's the book?" he asked, looking around the clearing.

"In front of the archway…but won't the Ivory Tower think that you were the one who took it if they find you with the book after the magic was activated? That's like saying 'Oh sorry, book didn't work for me, here it is back.'" Komugi said bitterly, wincing as her head throbbed.

"That's the thing; I'm not going to be found _with_ the book, I'm going to be found _near_ the book. There's a difference." Amari said, shutting his eyes into a thin line.

"Ooh! We get to do that again?" Vlad asked, suddenly as eager as a child on Grand Saint's Day.

"We're going to have to." Amari groaned, slouching.

"I love this game!" Vlad said excitedly as Amari walked towards the archway.

"What are they doing?" Komugi asked Emixia, as she tried to focus on them as they walked away. The edges of her vision were speckled with black, and she commanded herself to stay conscious.

"Delicious." Emixia growled with a sadistic grin. Komugi inwardly shuddered as Emixia licked her lips and began walking after the brothers. As they neared, Komugi's eyes widened as she saw Amari standing facing Vlad, his fists clenched at his sides, his body tense. Vlad had his sword drawn and held the tip of it to Amari's abdomen while his other hand was on Amari's shoulder, as if to support him.

"Avoid major organs and arteries." Amari growled, glaring at the wide grin Vlad had on his face. "I'm having second thoughts; you nearly killed me last time."

"Relax or I'm going to nearly kill you this time too." Vlad said with glee. "You were tense then as well, so I mean it when I say relax." He said, his smile fading slightly. Amari shut his eyes and took a deep breath, commanding his muscles to relax. Vlad waited a moment, and then stabbed Amari in the side without warning, the Spellhowler drawing in a loud gasp.

"I wasn't ready!" Amari hissed, dropping to his knees with his hands over the wound.

"You looked relaxed enough." Vlad stated innocently. "If I'd waited until you opened your eyes, you would've tensed up again." He shrugged and shook the blood from his sword before sheathing it on his back. "I'll hang out in Gludin until you're done here, see ya!" Vlad waved as he walked towards Emixia and the bewildered Komugi.

"What…what did you just do?" Komugi sputtered as they walked through the woods, away from Amari. She looked over Emixia's shoulder as he fell to his side, wincing.

"He'll be fine, we've done that before." Vlad dismissed, waving his hand. "Painful for him, but it's the quickest way to throw people off. The Ivory Tower is gullible like that." Vlad grinned at her like a beast, and Emixia chuckled darkly.

"I love watching that." She said, her voice husky.

"I'm going to die being left alone with you two." Komugi whimpered, shutting her eyes into a thin line.

"Better with us than alone!" Vlad said cheerfully. "We'll bury your body at least, you should be happy!"

"I'm so elated." Komugi said flatly, not opening her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

They entered Gludin a few days later to find it a flurry of activity. Soldiers and Knights raced towards the harbor, and there were flat stretchers set up around the usually merchant-filled square. Sailors lay upon them, some groaning, some covered in blood-stained sheets, as Prophets and Bishops darted around, trying to heal them.

"What's going on? There a war?" Vlad asked, stepping out of the way of a Knight that raced past him. Emixia sniffed the air like an animal thoughtfully.

"Cannons. They're fighting at sea." She growled. She kicked the toe of her boot into the cobbled stone of the square, taking on the appearance of a pouting child.

"There there, I'll get a ship one day and then you can go wreaking havoc in it." Vlad said in a comforting tone, patting her on her head. Emixia's face cracked in a sadistic grin, and Komugi inwardly shuddered again.

"If you're not healing people, get out of the way, we need all of the space we can, more injured are coming in!" a soldier shouted, waving his hand to shoo Komugi, Vlad and Emixia out of the way.

"Don't worry, they're with me." A hard-faced man in heavy platinum armor said, coming to stand near them. Emixia tensed and began to growl deep in her throat at the sight of him.

"Sir Klaus, I'm sorry sir!" the soldier who had shouted said in reverence, saluting the older man

"An honest mistake, but learn from it." He nodded, and the soldier broke the salute to continue in his trek towards the harbor. "Emixia Tanford, control yourself." He said in a hard voice, the tone matching Emixia's growl. Vlad looked between Emixia and Sir Klaus in confusion.

"You know each other?" he asked, genuinely surprised.

"Of course I do, don't you know who Emixia is?" Klaus asked, folding his arms over his chest. Before Vlad could answer, he continued. "She's the daughter of the Paladin Sir Aron Tanford, heir to the Tanford name after her half-sister Lucianne." He eyeballed Vlad with an authoritive nature, and then glanced at Emixia. "She looks like a pet, you aren't treating her as a dog, are you?" he asked.

"But of course I…" Vlad began his face expressionless. Komugi stepped between him and Sir Klaus, knowing from her previous time in Gludin that Sir Klaus had a short temper.

"Sorry but, I was in a hurry to get back to Talking Island." She lied. She didn't know how Sir Klaus would react to finding out Sir Aron Tanford's daughter was indeed being treated like a pet, and she didn't want to find out. Vlad obviously didn't realize that he was speaking to one of the men that had helped unify Aden and end the war with Gracia. "Can you tell us if the boats are still running?" Sir Klaus focused on the short rose-haired girl in front of him as if seeing her for the first time.

"I didn't know you were Sir Aron's daughter." She heard Vlad murmur to Emixia behind her.

"I'm not." Emixia growled.

"Then why did he…." Emixia growled again in her throat before he could finish his question. "Ok fair enough." He surrendered, holding his hands up.

"Little girl, don't be foolish, how could you possibly want to take the ships right now, when the Grand Pirate Zaken is on the loose?" Sir Klaus asked her incredulously. Komugi froze, her eyes widening.

"Could….could you repeat that?" she asked, blinking hard as she stuck a finger in her ear to make sure it wasn't clogged with debris and obscuring her hearing. Sir Klaus sighed in annoyance and leaned over, bringing his mouth near her ear.

"The Pirate Zaken's ship is sailing the Neutral Waters again." He said loudly, as if she were deaf. Komugi jumped and backed away, glaring at him. Satisfied, Sir Klaus stood. "It's been over 20 years since I last saw that ship…it hasn't changed a bit." He spoke almost dreamily, as if he were forever caught in his glory days of war.

Komugi stared at the older man without expression for a moment before turning on heel and marching towards the exit that would lead her to the harbor. "He will die…again." She seethed, her fists clenched. "What the hell is he thinking? This is ridiculous!" she threw her hands in the air as she spoke.

"Hey wait…!" Vlad exclaimed, taking a step towards Komugi. Sir Klaus halted him by putting a beefy arm over his shoulders and pulling him back.

"Just a second here…I'm going to take you into the inn, get you a drink, and then you and I are going to talk about how you know Miss Tanford here." Sir Klaus stated, a dark grin spreading on his face.

"I assure you sir; I am armed, dangerous, and quite insane." Vlad said quickly.

"All the better." Sir Klaus said, dragging him towards the Inn. "Emixia, follow." He barked. Glaring and growling, Emixia took up a pace behind Sir Klaus like an obedient child.

"How'd you do that? I usually have to put her on a leash!" Vlad said in surprise.

"A leash, hmm?" Sir Klaus said, lowering his eyes in a suspicious stare. "Let's talk about this leash, shall we?"

Komugi ducked behind some cargo boxes as soldiers ran past her and back up to the town. The harbor itself was a flurry of movement and confusion. A boat, smoking and charred as if a fire had just been put out on it, sat half-sunk in shallow water just off the coast. Smaller boats had been paddled out to it, and they were pulling people from the wreckage they could reach.

"You can't possibly want to leave during all of this!" she heard the Warf Manager shout over the clatter of soldier's armor. Komugi darted behind another box and listened intently. In front of the Warf Manager stood a determined looking, middle-aged man, and next to him stood a teen, maybe a few years older than herself, with spiked brown hair that trailed down his neck. She ducked behind the crate as he turned to look over his shoulder, her cheeks pink. Zaken was handsome, but this guy was _gorgeous_!

"They need this medicine over in Giran, and we've been delayed long enough." The captain said stubbornly, folding his arms across his chest. The Warf Manager was a gruff, muscular man with tanned skin, but the captain of the ship made the Warf Manager look sickly and weak. The man wore a white suit befitting a ship's captain, and the seams strained to stay together as the fabric stretched over his large frame. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get my ship going, we're far enough behind schedule as it is." The captain said shortly, giving the Warf Manager a curt nod before walking towards the pier. The teen with him nodded politely, and then jogged to keep up with the captain.

"Fool, he needs to learn some fear, that Grand Pirate will be sure to attack him come nightfall." The Warf Manager muttered as he turned to walk away.

"Just what I need!" Komugi grinned, sneaking out from behind the crate. She casually blended in with the people walking back and forth along the pier until she spied the cargo being loaded into the ship. Checking to make sure no one was watching her; she darted over to a crate and poked around until she found a loose board in the side. Being skinny had its advantages, and she slipped between the slats and curled up inside, between some smaller boxes. It was a tight fit, even for her small frame.

She heard the men grunt as they lifted the crate, and she put her hands on the sides of the box to keep herself from rocking around and disturbing the smaller boxes of bottles. "Was this box always this heavy?" one of them grunted as they inched up the cargo load ramp.

"I'm not that heavy." She whispered in annoyance, glaring in the direction the voice came from.

"Did you say something?" another voice questioned, strained with exertion.

"Nope." The first responded. "Let's drop it here." Komugi's eyes widened and she drew in a panicked breath, trying to brace herself.

"Not drop!" she hissed, but she went unheard, and the crate was dumped roughly on the ground. It landed on the side her back was against, the boxes of medicine tumbling from their neat stack and breaking all around her. Komugi had but a second to stare at a box with large eyes before the corner of it landed in the middle of her forehead. Stars exploded behind her eyes, and she was instantly knocked unconscious.

The sharp smell of burning timber finally roused her from darkness, and Komugi opened her eyes wearily. Her forehead throbbed, and she felt a hot bump when she lifted her fingers to touch it. Clucking her tongue in distaste, she silently spoke the words for her healing spell to get rid of it.

Once it was gone, she pushed off a few of the medicine boxes that still sat on her chest, and kicked her feet against the box side she faced, looking for the loose board. It snapped with the force of her foot, and Komugi wearily pushed herself to her feet and poked her head out of it. Her eyes widened and she coughed as smoke poured into the cargo hold. Orangey-yellow flickering light dimly lit the hold, and Komugi scrambled to be free of the crate. She stumbled across the hold towards the step ladder leading to the deck, coughing and trying to clear her watering eyes.

"What's going on?" she found herself asking aloud, even though in her heart of hearts she knew exactly what was going on. Her suspicions were confirmed as she pushed open the trap door that kept the cargo area shut, and found the large back of the captain falling towards her. She yelped and jumped back down the ladder to the floor, her eyes large as the captain's body landed near her. The large man's eyes were open in death shock, and a familiar rapier protruded out of his chest. He looked as if he'd been stabbed multiple times, with how his white suit was dyed red. "Zaken." She whispered, as the rapier withdrew itself from the captain's body and flew back up to the deck.

Komugi quickly climbed back up to the deck, but as her head emerged, one of Zaken's Pikeman appeared in her face, snarling at her. "Regah!" she said sharply. The Pikeman froze in the act of drawing back his pike to impale her upon. "Lo nachon!" she said, motioning for the Pikeman to leave her. It stood stiffly and marched away from her. Komugi sighed in relief. Zaken had taught her that his crew responded to those words, although she wasn't sure what language they originated from.

She pulled herself from below and looked around the deck in horror. Most of the ship's crew lay dead around her, and a fire was consuming the ships masts. Burning chunks of wood littered the deck, and a crewmate attempted to pull himself along among them. Her Prophet's instinct to heal rising, Komugi took a step towards him to help, noticing that the man's legs had been removed below his knees. It appeared that a blast had taken them, with how the wounds were charred and without blood. Another Pikeman jumped down from the burning mast and impaled the sailor on his pike, and Komugi looked away with a wince.

The ship lurched as an explosion hit it, and Komugi fell forward to grip a stand usually intended to hold extra rope. She stared wide eyed in the direction the explosion had come from, Zaken's ship barely visible in the heavy fog that had fallen over the ocean. Her lips parted slightly in awe; she had never seen the ship in its full glory before, as it was always hidden in darkness inside Devil's Isle. One of its cannons drew back inside for reloading, the explosion having been it firing an iron ball into the side of the ship.

A strangled cry caught her attention this time, and Komugi stumbled across the slowly tilting ship towards it. The burning mast finally broke off and fell, causing Komugi to skid to a stop and shield herself from the bits of flame that scattered about the deck. As she lowered her hands, the back of Zaken's coat came into her vision, the five swords that always materialized during battle floating in a circle behind his back. The teen boy that she'd seen at the harbor was on the ground before him, his back against the raised platform that led to the ship's steering wheel. He winced and clutched his side, blood seeping through his clothes.

Without hesitating, Komugi backed up a few steps and leapt over the burning mast. She could feel the flames licking her legs, but paid no attention to it. She landed gracefully on the other side, and then dashed over to Zaken just as he drew his sword back to stab the teen again.

"Zaken stop it!" Komugi cried, planting herself between him and the boy. She stared into his face, her entire body trembling with both fear and anger. Zaken's eyes had turned red as they always did when he fought, and he seemed to not see her. "I said stop it!" she snarled as he didn't lower his sword. He raised an arm and placed it on her shoulder. Knowing that he meant to fling her away, she latched onto it with all of her strength. Her legs were propelled into the air as he attempted to throw her, but she didn't let go. He looked down at her with expressionless anger, and raised his sword towards her. Knowing he was in full bloodlust and didn't recognize her anymore, Komugi bared her teeth and bit down on his hand as hard as she could. He wore thick cotton, fingerless glove so her teeth couldn't pierce his skin, but it pinched enough to get his attention. He attempted to jerk his hand away from her, blinking rapidly as his eyes returned to their normal blue.

"Let go!' he growled, his voice tinged in embarrassment.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" Komugi shouted, not releasing his arm from her death grip.

"I do not have to divulge my motives with you." Zaken snarled, trying to jerk his arm from her grip again. Komugi felt a stab of rejection in her heart, but she didn't let go.

"Just like you don't have to divulge any of your personal life with me neither, huh? Why didn't you ever tell me one of your girlfriends was still alive?" Komugi spat. Zaken tensed, and then his face darkened. His eyes began to turn red, but Komugi met his hateful look without blinking.

"My past is none of your business." He said in a low voice.

"I thought it was if we were toge—" She was cut off as the teen that Zaken had attacked suddenly let out a battle cry and shoved a harpoon through Zaken's chest. Komugi let out a choked scream and released Zaken's arm. Zaken stumbled backwards, dropping one of his swords and putting a hand around the harpoon.

"Let's get out of here!" the teen said urgently, grabbing Komugi's arm.

"But I can't…" she tried to say. The teen's grip was strong, and she had no choice but to follow after him. Zaken fell to his knees, still holding the harpoon. Blood poured from around it, and Komugi felt sick to her stomach that she couldn't do anything to help him now.

"You bitch, look what you've done to him!' she heard Tillion's voice come. She and the teen skidded to a stop as Tillion came flying from the smoke. He swung a burning piece of mast like a bat, clipping the teen in the side and propelling him over the side of the ship.

"Lo nachon!" Komugi shouted as Tillion flew at her with a hateful look. He dropped the mast in an instant and clutched his head in pain.

"Damn you Zaken, you and that magic!" he snarled. He landed on the deck and grabbed Komugi by the arm and began dragging her towards the side of the ship.

"Regah! Lo nachon!" Komugi shouted desperately. Tillion winced but didn't respond to it.

"Let me let you in on a little secret, my tasty treat. That magic only stops us from killing you. It does nothing when we just want to throw you overboard because you're annoying us." Tillion said with a grin. Komugi's mouth clamped shut and she stared at him with wide eyes as he easily tossed her overboard. She shielded her face as she crashed into the water. She surfaced again amongst broken planks of wood, and coughed as she looked back up at the ship. She could make out Tillion's figure as he flew away with Zaken, the harpoon still protruding from Zaken's chest. Swallowing against the lump in her throat, Komugi glanced around the surface of the water until she found the teen clutching a piece of lumber, and began toting him as she swam towards the direction she hoped the shore was in.

"She's making you weak, Zaken." Tillion said as he landed gently on the Pirate ship. A strange floating spirit approached them and began breathing on the pike. It began to crystallize, its very components being frozen. "You should've killed her a long time ago." Tillion continued, casting a glare in her direction. "Freya's more loyal to you than that little bitch ever would be."

Zaken opened his eyes from the pained wince they had been shut in, and stared at the deck of his ship without expression. One of his guards grabbed the harpoon and crushed it in his hands. Another at his back pulled the spear from his body, and Zaken groaned. "I never trusted your opinion before, Tillion, nor will I now." Zaken said in a raspy voice, not looking at his Chief Mate. Tillion scowled, but said nothing.

Komugi woke on a sandy beach, and blinked groggily as she raised her head. The teen was on his stomach next to her, his face pale. Fearing him dead, she rolled him onto his back and put her head on his chest. His heartbeat was still steady, albeit faint.

The wound in his side still trickled blood, and Komugi quickly began casting her healing spell upon it. Her spell was now weaker than a Bishop's heal spell, and she had to put a lot of her energy into it. It was times like this that made choosing the path to become a Prophet, frustrating.

The boy opened his eyes as she healed, and smiled as he looked at her. He raised a hand to cup her cheek, breaking her concentration. She blinked at him with large eyes, surprised at his boldness. "A nurse….angel…" he said weakly. Komugi's cheeks tinged pink with his words, unsure if she should laugh at the thought of an angelic nurse or be flattered by his compliment. He drifted back into unconsciousness after that, his hand falling limply to his chest.

Komugi managed to pull him from the beach, and set about collecting tinder for a campfire to warm themselves by. The scenery around her looked familiar, and she wondered if she were somewhere near the Langk Lizardman Dwelling. The boy finally awoke long after the sun had gone down, and groggily propped himself up on his elbows.

"How are you feeling?" Komugi asked. "If you're thirsty I found this canteen among the wreckage that washed ashore…" she offered, pulling it out of a hard leather bag she had next to her.

"I'll be fine, but thank you." He politely declined. He rubbed his eyes with one hand as he pushed himself up to sit. He paused mid-rub and looked down to his side, and blinked in surprise. "I must thank you if you were the one who healed me." He said with a smile. Komugi returned it blandly and shrugged.

"Anyone would've done it." She said humbly. He was really very pretty to look at, and his polite attitude only seemed to add to it. Komugi found herself being drawn to him. She tilted her head in interest as he produced a waterlogged compass from a hidden pocket inside of his shirt, emptied it of water, and held it level. "I couldn't tell you had that." She stated in surprise. The boy flashed a grin before concentrating on the compass' face.

"It appears we've washed ashore somewhere south of the Beehive." He said thoughtfully as he glanced around his surroundings. "Did any useful scrolls wash ashore?" he asked as he snapped the compass shut. Komugi chewed the inside of her lip and sighed dejectedly.

"No." she answered sullenly, resting her head on her knees which were drawn close to her chest.

"That's a shame. No worries though, we should be a week's walk, if even that, from Giran Harbor." He said lightly, smiling at her again. "Until then though, you should rest. I'll go walk along the beach to find any more useful supplies for us."

"Are you sure you should be walking around like this already?" Komugi asked. He'd been nearly dead earlier that day, how in the world could he have recuperated so quickly?

"I'll be fine." He said with a grin. "I'll wake you first thing in the morning, go ahead and sleep." Still uneasy, Komugi lowered herself onto her side, and watched him suspiciously until he disappeared into the darkness. She thought she heard him return sometime later, but her eyes were too heavy to open up and look at him. She heard a choked squeal from a small animal, and then the sounds of a crack and wet slurping. Her eyes twitched slightly at the noise, but she merely rolled over and fell into deeper sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

The boy's name was Kyosuke, and he had been the Cabin Boy on the ship that Zaken had attacked. He was 18 years old, and had the intention on becoming a prosperous merchant one day. Much of their travel was filled with stories of the ocean, and the mysteries surrounding it. He told her that in Gracia there existed a race of beings that appeared half human, half fish that lured sailors and their wives to death with promises of love. These stories intrigued her, but she found herself wondering if Zaken ever had experienced anything like what he spoke of. This reminded her of their argument, and annoyed her.

She decided to travel to Devil's Isle upon reaching Giran Harbor, to find out what exactly had set Zaken off to return to his pillaging days. There was one being on Devil's Isle that would respond to her questions without hesitation, and he was the exact person she sought to visit. Kyosuke decided to accompany her after she told him, saying he had nothing else to do until he found a new ship to work on. Although she tried to stop him, Komugi was secretly delighted, and happily enjoyed his company once more.

Kyosuke 'borrowed' a small rowboat tethered to a short dock off of the main pier, and he and Komugi began rowing out towards the Island under the cover of night. The Warf Manager was not allowing any boats to go out with his permission, due to the attacks on ships.

Komugi admired her new dual swords in the moonlight. Kyosuke had Dwarven connections, and had managed to purchase her a set through the Blacksmith for a cheap price. She had kissed his cheek in thanks, and he had kissed hers in return. It had made her blush, and now she sat quietly on the boat, her heart in turmoil. _Zaken, why are you being such an idiot right now?_ She asked him in her mind.

They pulled onto the only reachable land just as the sky had lightened to a dull gray color. It was on this level, short spanse of land that Komugi would find the person she sought. Her boots crunched over the rocky soil as she scanned the beach for the familiar figure.

"Krantz." She called, as Kyosuke pulled the boat far enough onto the shore to keep it from floating away. There was a grunt, and a mound that Komugi had thought to be a lump of earth suddenly grunted and shifted. Gravel and dirt fell as the lump moved, and stood up straight. A large ogre, still clothed in a tattered, striped pirate's shirt, yawned and stretched. Krantz had once been human, but now, warped by Zaken's curse, was an ogre. He was the only one that Komugi had found in Zaken's crew who truly harbored a good heart underneath it all.

"Mugi." Krantz said, his lips stretching in a ferocious kind of smile. He had two tusks jutting from his jaw, and this obscured his speech slightly. "What makes you visit? I am happy to see your pretty face again."

"Sorry I woke you, Krantz." Komugi smiled. He was physically ugly, but Komugi thought of him as a big, ugly teddy bear. "But I need to ask you something important."

"Anything for 'Mugi." Krantz said happily. He sat down with a thud, the beach shaking slightly at his movement. The boat was dislodged from the beach, and Kyosuke dashed after it to catch it before it went into deep water.

"Why is Zaken on the move again? What is making him attack ships suddenly?" she asked bluntly. Krantz's face fell, and he looked down to his massive hands. Komugi knelt beside him and put her hands on his. He was so large, that she could only hold on to his pointer finger. "He wouldn't talk to me when I tried to ask him, can you tell me?" she asked gently, giving him a pleading look. Krantz sighed heavily, and looked at her sadly.

"Cap'n is in mourning." Krantz said, his voice heavy. "Chief Mate brought Cap'n the pretty lady's body." Komugi blinked several times, and tilted her head at him.

"Who is the 'pretty lady'?" she asked softly. Krantz looked at her with large tears welling in his eyes.

"Pretty Lady was a Dark Elf many years ago. I think she was Wimere." Krantz sniffled, the tears rolling down his cheeks and plopping onto his furry chest. Komugi felt ice freeze her veins, and she stared at him wide-eyed. "Chief Mate told Cap'n that people who killed her were traveling with boats to Giran, so Cap'n began killing everyone trying to revenge her." He gave Komugi another tearful look, and sniffled. "Cap'n got told by Chief Mate that 'Mugi helped kill pretty lady." Komugi stood quickly, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I didn't touch Wimere!" she exclaimed, her voice coming out shriller than she had intended.

"I know, and I think Cap'n knows, but he is still very sad." Krantz said, shaking his head. He froze and lifted his head quickly, his pointed ears twitching as he listened. "Chief Mate is coming here, 'Mugi better leave!" Krantz said in a loud whisper. I like 'Mugi, don't wanna see her get hurt!" He stood up and picked Komugi up around her waist with one hand as if she were a doll.

"Krantz put me down! I'm not afraid of Tillion!" Komugi protested, kicking her feet uselessly. "In fact, I'd like to kick him in the junk right now, if you don't mind." She growled, staring into the air in annoyance.

"Krantz will protect 'Mugi. Don't wanna hurt 'Mugi any more." Krantz said in a deciding tone, placing her gently in the boat. He picked Kyosuke up around the waist next and plopped him next to her. "Already hurt 'Mugi by chopping the Cap'n up long time ago. Made the Giant's Treasure work." With a mighty shove, he pushed the boat back out to sea. It caught a current almost immediately, carrying them away from Devil's Isle. Komugi sat back in the boat in shock, trying to stomach what Krantz had told her. _Chopped Zaken up? Zaken died? He just wasn't cursed?_ She thought, knowing she wasn't making any sense, even to herself.

"Do you really want to leave? Should we go back?" Kyosuke asked her, causing her to jump.

"N…no, it's fine. I've heard enough." She said quietly, looking down at her hands. _I caused Zaken to become like this?_ She thought, staring at her fingers. She quickly recalled the memory of Wimere as she died, and shook her head rapidly to clear it_. Impossible, Zaken got this way because he's a pervert vampire who got bored._ She said to herself firmly. _Snap out of it Komugi, Wimere tried to kill you first, so if he's going to get emo over her death instead of the fact that it was in self defense, he's not worth your time_. She felt greatly comforted by this, and turned to watch Devil's Isle as it faded into the distance.

"Adena for your thoughts?" Kyosuke's voice came, breaking the silence. Komugi turned back around to face him, and smiled sheepishly. "You seem to know the Grand Pirate, is he your boyfriend?" His tone was light, but Komugi couldn't tell if he were trying to make a joke or not.

"Of course not, don't be silly." Komugi said in an equally light voice. Kyosuke raised his eyebrow despite the smile on his face, but didn't say anything. "Say…" she began after a moment of silence. "How would you like to go to Innadril with me? The reef is supposed to be in bloom this time of year, it'll be really pretty." She smiled, hoping it looked sincere.

"Aren't boys supposed to be the ones asking girls out on dates?" Kyosuke chuckled. Komugi grinned at him and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger. It had been a long time since she felt girly with a boy, and she liked it.

"Well, you were slow, so I thought I'd get a jump on it." Komugi said coyly, with a smile to match. Kyosuke blushed, and let go of one of the oars to rub the back of his head.

"Well, I was going to ask once we were back in town…" he admitted sheepishly. "But sure, I haven't been to Innadril for many years."

"Excellent, let's leave as soon as we get back to the city." Komugi nodded enthusiastically. She glanced over her shoulder again, her smile fading as she gazed at Devil's Isle. _Screw you then Zaken; I'm going to go have fun with someone who might just care about my feelings_. Komugi thought bitterly. Usually thinking so spitefully would have left her with a justified feeling, but Komugi found that a stabbing pain went through her heart with the thought, and it annoyed her.

They traveled to Heine by Gatekeeper, and arrived there in time to see a happy wedding party dancing through the square towards the Temple of Eva. She grinned mischievously at Kyosuke, and they followed the party through the temple and out to the Pleasure Boat docks, pretending to be part of the group. The bride reminded her of Koyori, with her looks, and she stuck her foot out slightly to trip her as she passed by. The bride stumbled, and fell right off the pier and into the ocean. Komugi snorted and covered her mouth, turning away from the bewildered look the bride was giving the crowd. Kyosuke too, clamped his mouth shut against his laugh, but mirth sparkled in his eyes. He put his hands on Komugi's shoulders, as if to shield her from the bride's confused gaze.

The stunned silence that had fallen over the wedding party erupted into shouts of joy, and soon the entire group of people was jumping into the water in their formal attire. Komugi and Kyosuke's laughter evaporated into stunned silence.

"Let's get out of here." Komugi murmured, as several of the wedding party looked to them expectantly. They fled as quickly as they could, just as the bride let out a shout of knowing, realizing it was one of them that had tripped her. They didn't stop running until after they'd left the city and found their way to the gazebo that overlooked Lake Innadril. They leaned heavily on the railing, panting and trying to laugh at the same time.

"I haven't had this much fun in….years!" Kyosuke laughed between breaths.

"I'll have to remember to do that to the real Koyori, the look on her face was priceless!" Komugi giggled breathlessly.

"Who's Koyori?" Kyosuke asked curiously, tilting his head as he looked at her. Komugi waved her hand dismissively as she took a drink of water from her canteen she'd pulled from her supply bag.

"Just a big-boobed bimbo I know from Talking Island." She said after swallowing. "Run if you ever meet her, she's got her guy meter set on rich or famous. Both if she can manage it." She held the canteen out to him which he took gratefully.

"That's an interesting way to describe someone…big-boobed…" Kyosuke stated thoughtfully as he took a drink from the canteen himself.

"That's all she is! She's got no other redeeming qualities, and even the large breasts are a questionable one!" Komugi exclaimed. "You don't find large breasts sexy do you?" she suddenly asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Kyosuke blinked at her in surprise before turning away and clearing his throat.

"Well, they are interesting to behold…" he said quickly, taking another drink.

"Yeah, I'll bet." She responded flatly, taking the canteen back from him. "Be_hold_, huh?"

"What can I say? I am a guy after all." Kyosuke shrugged, giving her a sheepish grin. Komugi stuck her tongue out at him and turned on her heel to walk away from him quickly. Amused by her reaction, he shook his head at her, the grin not leaving his face, and quickly shouldered his travel pack to keep up with her.

"Where are we going?" he asked, several hours later. They sat on a dry hill within the Field of Whispers, looking out over the glistening marshlands. It was quiet there, the only sounds the occasional swish of water as alligator men known as Farhites wandered around, looking for food.

"I'm not sure; I just set out walking, and found myself here." Komugi mumbled thoughtfully. She had her knees drawn up to her chest again, and her chin resting on them. "I think my subconscious wants me to face some emotional demons that are still left behind here, maybe." She sighed heavily at the questioning look he gave her, but didn't respond.

There was a heavy stomping behind them, and Komugi and Kyosuke stood up quickly and spun around to face it. A large, two-headed giant man-beast came trudging through the marsh towards them. Although he lacked a proper weapon, Kyosuke stood in front of her protectively, holding an arm out as if it were enough to block her from any attack the monster would throw at them. The two-headed giant stopped walking to stare at them with four large eyes.

"Where is my master?" both of its heads asked in unison. Komugi and Kyosuke looked at each other in confusion, then back to the creature.

"I don't know." Kyosuke responded bravely. "Your master isn't here, try Innadril castle." The beast stared at them silently for a few seconds as if it didn't understand his words before breaking into a howling wail.

"Master! Where is my master? Master of the Tower!" its heads shouted in turn. Komugi winced and clamped her hands over her ears, the sound chilling her to the bone. Even the Farhites in the marsh fled at the sound of its voice. "Master, where are you? Premo Prime has come a long way looking for you! Master!" it howled, walking away from Komugi and Kyosuke. "Magus Kenishee told Premo Prime that Master was in Innadril! Magus Kenishee! Where is master?" Komugi's heart jumped in her chest at the Magus' name, and she recalled Wimere's final words to her.

"Where is Magus Kenishee now?" Komugi called after Premo Prime, stepping around Kyosuke. She spoke without thinking, and wondered why she was still interested even after rejecting Zaken several days ago.

"Hiding in the Garden of Eva, stupid Magus Kenishee! A coward you are!" Premo cried as he walked away. Komugi swallowed hard, just the name of the place where Sharmin disappeared sending chills through her body.

"Let's go." Komugi murmured, moving down the hill in the direction of the Garden.

"What business do you have with the Magus? She's a dangerous spirit!" Kyosuke said with wide eyes.

"I'm not so sure myself, but I feel like I need to go find her." Komugi said, focusing on the hills ahead of her. It was a partial truth, as she had sworn to herself before that nothing could ever make her return to the Garden of Eva, not only because of what had happened there with the goddess Eva herself, but because she had shared her first kiss with Zaken there, and it pained her to see that beach again.

She found herself walking the familiar path to the beach regardless of her discomfort, and within a few days found herself standing on the white sands, facing the reef that would take her down into the Garden. Without thinking, she cast the Kiss of Eva spell upon herself, and stepped into the water.

"Um…" Kyosuke's voice came, startling her. She blinked and looked at him, as it was the first time she'd heard his voice in days. He rubbed his head sheepishly and looked away from her, his ears red. "I'm sorry to be bold like this but…I'd like to go with you to make sure you're safe…but I can't swim that far without help…y'know?" he grinned nervously, and it hit Komugi like a lead rock that he was asking for the Kiss of Eva spell.

"Oh, of course. Sorry. I've been a bit distracted these past few days." She said, smiling nervously herself.

"I could tell." He said, shutting his eyes with his smile. Komugi cleared her throat and put her fingers to her lips as she silently spoke the spell. Her heart pounded in anticipation, and she growled at it in her mind. _I'm just casting a spell like always, stop it!_ She told it. She stood on her tiptoes as she leaned towards him to kiss him and complete the spell. Their lips met shyly, and Komugi thought her heart would burst in giddiness at the feel of it. He put his hands at the small of her back, drawing her a bit closer with the movement.

Realizing that the kiss was turning into something more than just a simple spell casting, Komugi's eyes snapped open and she withdrew in a hurry. "Let's go" she said, clearing her throat. Kyosuke grinned at her in a cocky manner, and nodded as she walked quickly towards the shoreline.

She was lost in thought as she swam down the familiar reef-lined path and through the doorway of the Garden's foyer. _Why can't I remember Zaken's kiss? _She thought to herself_. Is it only because we kissed once? Is that it? Argh, I hate this! _She stopped swimming to rub her head with her hands in exasperation, earning a look of confusion from Kyosuke as he swam by her. Not seeing it, she returned to swimming, and propelled herself towards the doorway that would lead to the inside of the Garden proper.

She led him swiftly down the pathways that her memories of were still very fresh in her mind. The familiar drop-off was there, that led to the maze-like circular inner garden. She didn't have to fight any monsters, as any that would come charging towards them could be easily stopped with her root spell. Some part of her twinged in disappointment, as Kyosuke was no fighter, and some part of her yearned to fight next to someone as she did for Ryonai back on Talking Island.

She found herself in the familiar pathway that had once been the haunting ground for Eva's Guardian Millenu. Not stopping as she walked towards the next gateway, she glanced at the ground, almost expecting to see clay dust still lying there from Melissan. The marbled floor was swept clean, no trace of anything gracing its polished surface.

"It's very pretty in here." Kyosuke commented in appreciation as they entered the inner garden circle. The shallow water was still a brilliant blue, and Komugi paused to look up at the gold gilded tower jutting out the center. The clear memory of Sharmin racing towards the open hidden passage flashed through her inner eye, and Komugi glanced quickly towards the wall, almost expecting to see Sharmin disappearing behind it. There was nothing, however, and the doorway remained open. "So how are we finding Magus Kenishee? There are a lot of rooms down here." Kyosuke asked, glancing around the circular area.

"Good question." Komugi said, digging in her travel pack. She pulled out the black bag that Zaken had given her once again, and pulled another slug from it. She did the spell that would turn her lips red and blew on it, dropping it to the ground once it began to bubble. Kyosuke stared at it with large eyes, and took a startled step backwards as Sairon appeared once again. "Find the Magus Kenishee for us, would you?" Komugi asked the doll politely. Its head clicked as it looked at her, and then it flew off towards the first room. "That should do it." She said in satisfaction.

"Where did you get that?" Kyosuke suddenly demanded, grabbing her by her shoulders and staring into her eyes intensely. "Who gave you that bag?" Confused by his sudden aggressive behavior, Komugi withdrew from him a bit, disturbed by the intensity of his eyes.

"Just someone…it's supposed to help me." She said slowly, stopping herself from admitting her connection to Zaken. Kyosuke released her shoulders roughly, narrowing his eyes at her in a skeptical look.

"You don't get Demon magic from 'just someone'." He said darkly, taking a step away from her. "I'd be careful how I use that from now on, you might attract unwanted attention." He turned away from her and stared pensively as Sairon emerged from one hidden passage and flew into another. Komugi rubbed one of the shoulders he'd clutched absent-mindedly, confused by his reaction. He'd been so quiet and friendly until then, the change in his attitude almost scared her.

The Sairon returned moments later, and grabbed Komugi's hand. She led her through the water to the other side of the circular room towards an open passageway. Not looking to see if Kyosuke was following her, Komugi walked quickly, her heart loud in her ears.

Sairon led her down a dark gray passageway and into a large rectangular room that had a fountain sitting at one end of it. The memory of Sharmin standing with Eva as she entered flashed through her minds eye again, and she stopped and winced. She felt weak inside; this was the room that Sharmin had been taken from.

A ghost-like woman wearing a long white robe that was tattered at the ends floated near the fountain now, and turned to look at Komugi as she entered. She had a large scarf pulled over her face, hiding her nose and mouth from view. A red cloak sat on her shoulders, sitting partially off of her head, revealing a thinning hairline of bloody red locks. She lacked eyebrows, and had large, staring eyes. Her skin was tanned, and heavy gold arm cuffs and bracelets sat on her wrists.

"Who are you?" the Magus asked in a hissing voice. Komugi swallowed against the emotional fear she was experiencing, and stood up as straight as she could.

"I've come to you to find out what you know of the Grand Pirate Zaken." Komugi said bravely, staring the Magus straight into her eyes. The Magus' familiars, a group of Dark Elven shadow summons, gathered about her as she stared unblinking at Komugi, and began to advance towards her slowly. They stopped suddenly as the Magus glanced in surprise behind Komugi. Curious, Komugi looked over her shoulder to find Kyosuke leaning over, his hands on his knees, panting from exertion.

"I look away for five seconds and you disappear." He said breathlessly. "I went into the wrong passageway before finding you in here." He chuckled in embarrassment, all of his previous seriousness gone. Komugi felt a small smile creeping up on her face, but shook her head slightly to return herself to the Magus.

"Why do you seek knowledge of the Grand Pirate Zaken? He is a devil! A monster who never loves nor trusts! What could you possibly want to know about him?" Kenishee asked. Her intake of breath was a hissing gasp that grated on Komugi's ears. "He kills when he looses trust. That cursed Giant's legacy is his only lover, and neither woman, man, devil nor angel can change that fact!" Kenishee turned away from her and waved a hand elegantly as if to dismiss her. "I know no more than that; ask the Corsair Captain Kylon if you truly wish to know more, he was once part of Zaken's crew! If he knows not, the Ice Queen should be your next stop, she has been alive since the Dark Elves were the Brown Elves and has seen much."

"Thank you." Komugi said quietly, bowing politely to the Magus. She turned and walked towards the passage way leading back to the center room.

"LEON!" she heard Sharmin's voice echo, and spun quickly to stare at the wall with large eyes. Her lower lip began to tremble and tears welled up in her eyes. The lump in her throat grew so large that it became hard to breathe, and she fell to her knees with a wail.

"Komugi?" Kyosuke asked in concern, reaching out to her. Komugi hugged herself and rocked, crying as loud as she could. She felt like a little child, sobbing for her mother with the way her cries came.

"What are you doing to her?" a new voice shouted, and Kyosuke jumped out of the way as a pair of dual swords slashed at him. Mune, Lavinia's sister, was the one who held them, and she glared at Kyosuke menacingly.

"I didn't do anything; I'm just as confused as you are!" Kyosuke protested, raising his hands in surrender.

"Komugi, are you ok? Can you talk to me?" Lavinia asked, kneeling next to Komugi and drawing her close in a comforting hug. She and Mune had been strength training in the Garden, and had heard Komugi's wailing. "She's just in shock, Mune. A lot happened to her, and Narlafayn down here." She helped Komugi stand, and escorted the still sobbing girl down the passageway. "Kind sir, please follow us if you would, Komugi will be fine. We'll help get her out of here." Lavinia's voice echoed.

"Ok, I'm glad." Kyosuke said, still eyeballing Mune's swords as he inched past the scowling Elf. Magus Kenishee watched them go in bewilderment; her demonic mind not quite sure what to make of the events that had just transpired in front of her eyes.

"Why did you have to tell that girl about me, Kenishee?" a cold voice came. Kenishee's eyes widened and she looked around in fear, searching for its source. "That makes it very hard to spy when they're searching for my presence."

"I owe no allegiance to you, voice of mystery!" Kenishee said defiantly. "You would not dare be angry with me; I am a loyal servant to Beleth!" The voice chuckled scornfully, and then sighed.

"My dear, I am no more frightened of Beleth than I am of Gran Kain himself." The voice said in dark amusement. Kenishee's eyes widened as ice began to form on the bottom of her robes, and traveled up her body at a quick rate.

"My lord Beleth!" she gasped, reaching for the ceiling. She froze in that position, her eyes wide and staring. Her body hovered in the air for naught but a second before falling to the ground and shattering into pieces. Her servitors began to moan mournfully as they evaporated, their master dead, and the voice chuckled darkly before fading from the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Lavinia and Mune stayed with Komugi all the way back to Heine, Mune declaring openly that she didn't trust Kyosuke enough to leave him with the task of bringing her back. Komugi recovered from her shock a few hours after leaving the Garden of Eva, but could not muster up a smile again until the middle of the next day.

She sat gazing out of the window of the inn room Lavinia had secured for her, watching the happy couples stroll by. She felt as if she should be among them, on the arm of her boyfriend, but for some reason the feeling was superficial, and not what she truly desired. Everything that had comforted her as a child suddenly seemed very stupid and immature, and this upset her. She wanted to return to the carefree feelings she once felt, but that Komugi seemed very far away, in another world.

"What do you do when you find yourself liking two guys at the same time? I've never had this problem before…" Komugi murmured. Mune paused in the buffing of one of her sword blades and looked at Komugi with large eyes.

"Couldn't tell you, I've never liked anyone in a romantic sense my entire life." Mune said, returning to her buffing. Komugi turned in her seat to look at her with large eyes.

"No one at all? How can that be possible? Everyone's liked someone at least once!" she exclaimed in disbelief. Mune paused again and stared at her evenly, lifting an eyebrow.

"Well I haven't. I prefer learning swordplay over getting giddy over some boy." Mune stated curtly, inspecting the surface of her sword. "If a guy can best me in combat, then perhaps I'd consider having feelings for him, but until then I'm staying alone."

"You'd 'consider having feelings'? Mune, you can't control your feelings for someone." Komugi frowned, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms over her chest.

"That's only because no one has had as good of a grasp over their emotions as I have." Mune said with a sniff. There was an explosive burst of laughter from the door, and both girls turned towards it to find Lavinia hunched over, laughing as hard as she could. "What's so funny?" Mune asked, lowering her eyelids in annoyance.

"What you just said…that was the funniest joke I've heard all day!" Lavinia said between breaths.

"I was being serious, you know." Mune glared. Lavinia composed herself enough to stand upright and walk over to the bed.

"I know, that's what makes it so funny." Lavinia said, trying to swallow her continuing laughter. "Komugi, your boyfriend out there wanted to know if you were doing better, and if you knew where you wanted to go next. If you were just going to stay here, I think he was going to go find a ship to work on or something." Lavinia said with sudden seriousness, as if her laughter had been shut off with a switch.

"I think I'm going to go find Corsair Captain Kylon." Komugi decided, licking the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. The tiny voice of logic in her mind spoke up curiously, wondering why she was continuing to pursue Zaken's past even now. She was learning more about him through people associated with his past, and it intrigued her. It also helped distract her from her depression over Sharmin's disappearance, now that she no longer had to look for dimensional travel texts.

"Oh geez, not that guy. What could he possibly have that's interesting?" Mune groaned, rolling her eyes. Komugi blanked out while staring at her.

"You've seen him before?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah, he tried to plunder Floran once, but a bunch of us weak people and the one guard on duty there managed to drive him out." Lavinia said, rolling her eyes. "He's just some failed Pirate zombie trying to make his way as a "Land Pirate". He and his small crew don't even have a ship; they hang out on that bridge that once led to Devil's Isle near the Bee Hive."

"Ok then, that's my destination." Komugi stated, pushing herself to her feet.

"We'll go with you." Mune said, also standing.

"We will?" Lavinia asked in surprise, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, I still don't trust that Kyosuke…something about him bothers me." Mune grumbled, biting on her thumbnail.

"He's perfectly normal." Komugi said flatly, narrowing her eyes.

"Yes but, you've not been the best judge of character in the past. I heard you traveled with a Dark Elf for half a year." Mune said pointedly, returning the narrowing of eyes.

"I had no control over that, thank you." Komugi sniffed, putting her nose in the air.

"Yeah right." Mune said, rolling her eyes. "In any case, we're still going with you."

"We are?" Lavinia repeated, her eyes dotting. "I have to be heading to Aden, Mune. I got a summons saying Magister Winonin needs a replacement while she goes on maternity leave, so I can't be traveling all over the countryside."

"You'll be fine; they usually take maternity leave three months in advance." Mune said dismissively, waving her hand. Lavinia sighed heavily and glared at her younger sister.

"I'm fine on my own; don't bother yourself with following me if you have other things to do." Komugi said to Lavinia, wanting to spend some time alone with Kyosuke and not with them.

"Nonsense, we're going with you and that's final." Mune said firmly, folding her arms over her chest. Komugi sighed in exasperation, and dragged her feet across the room to her travel bag to pack it.

Komugi was beginning to feel the strain of traveling so frequently by Gatekeeper by the time they reached Dion. She was weary, and wanted nothing more than to go lie down and sleep for days in the Inn due to jetlag. She pushed herself onward, and approached the Gatekeeper to request a spell to the Bee Hive.

Going to Dion from Heine to get to the Bee Hive seemed to be a roundabout way of doing things, but Dion's Gatekeeper was the only one that knew the displacement spell that would take them to the Hive, whereas walking from Giran Harbor would take them over a week.

The Hive was a large meadow that had once been used as a place to harvest honey from. The Bees within the meadow were warped by demon magic many years prior, and the place became a dangerous area to live near. A few families still dared to enter the Hive meadow to harvest the honey from the circular hornet's nests in the trees, but the only race brave enough to actually live inside the Bee Hive area were a few Delu Lizardmen displaced from the Gracia war.

Komugi stood near a signpost after materializing in the Bee Hive area, and sighed deeply. She gazed wistfully towards the tall supports of the broken bridge that she could see from where she stood. Devil's Isle was visible in the distance, and unease gnawed at her insides again. _I just can't seem to get away from this place_. She thought, frowning.

"Are you ok? Do you need to rest?" Kyosuke asked, touching her shoulder lightly to get her attention. Komugi smiled at him and sighed lightly again.

"Just a little tired. I plan on taking a really long break after this trip." She said with a grin.

"Is it really that important for you to continue on now? Are you on a life-changing quest?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"Nah…not really." Komugi admitted, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger absent mindedly. "I just feel like I need to do this for some reason." She glanced over her shoulder as Lavinia and Mune materialized, arguing with each other over Lavinia's impending trip to Aden.

"Your reasons are your own." Kyosuke agreed, and then sighed in defeat. "Just don't overwork yourself and get sick, alright?" he said gently, putting an arm across her shoulders and giving her a half hug. Komugi smiled at him wearily, appreciative of his affection. It had been a long time since she'd gotten snuggly with a guy, maybe Zaken wasn't the right choice for her after all…

The trek to the bridge was an hour on foot, and it was nighttime by the time they arrived. There were large cargo boxes that had been abandoned on the bridge years before, and Komugi could make out the dim flickering of a campfire behind them. The boxes had been abandoned when the bridges reconstruction had failed years ago due to a skirmish between workers over their treatment and pay by the Lord of Giran. The bridge had been constructed, Komugi had heard, years ago in an attempt to make an easier way to infiltrate Devil's Isle from the mainland. It had almost been completed, but then the Gracian war broke out, and the bridge was destroyed.

"I need to do this alone." Komugi said, glancing at her friends with a smile.

"You're joking, right?" Mune asked flatly, raising an eyebrow as she lowered her eyelids. "We came all this way and you plan on talking to a violent zombie all by yourself?"

"I do have a root and undead destroying spells you know." Komugi retorted, narrowing her eyes. "I'm a big girl; I don't need people holding my hands every step of the way." She turned on heel and began marching towards the bridge. "Stop following me!" she snapped, spinning back around to find Mune and Lavinia walking several paces behind. "Don't make me root you!" She turned and began walking once more.

"I think she means business…" Kyosuke warned as Mune continued to follow. Komugi growled in exasperation and spun back around, casting her root spell on Mune's feet. The Swordsinger crashed to the ground ungracefully with a surprised yelp.

"If I need help, I'll call for it, geez!" Komugi said, and then stomped away.

"Get this spell off of me!" Mune shouted at her back. Komugi ignored her and continued onward, focusing on the boxes ahead of her. "YOU PINK HAIRED RAT!" Mune screamed. _So much for great emotional control. _Komugi thought to herself with a snicker.

"Shaddup or you'll get her killed!" Lavinia hissed, pressing a hand over Mune's mouth. "Honestly Mune, do you have to throw a tantrum every time you don't get your way?"

"_She's_ going to get herself killed!" Mune protested angrily, jerking her face away from Lavinia's hand. Lavinia sighed and glanced up to Komugi's departing figure.

"She's a lot stronger than she looks; I think she'll be fine." Lavinia said, and then glanced down at her sister with a wry smile. "Much like someone else I know." She playfully ruffled Mune's hair, and then stood.

"I'm not weak looking." Mune grumbled, pouting.

Komugi slipped around the cargo boxes silently, and halted quickly as she found herself in the middle of the camping area of five zombified men. They all stared at her with large eyes, paused in whatever action they had been doing when she stepped within the ring of light their fire cast out.

All of the men were in various stages of decay, and wore pirate's bandannas around their heads like the Pirates wandering around Devil's Isle. One sat between them wearing the largest corsair hat Komugi had ever seen, one that could easily be bigger than Zaken's already large corsair hat. She found herself unable to contain herself at the sight of him and burst out laughing. The noise caused the pirates to squeal shrilly and dive behind their captain, who held out a rusting saber with a shaking arm.

"It's a Prophet!" one of them whimpered in a shrill voice.

"She's going to Disrupt us!" another sniveled.

"S-s-stay back!" the captain proclaimed, his bony knees knocking together in his tattered blue uniform. "I-I-I'm the g-great C-Corsair C-C-Captain Kylon! F-F-Fear me!" Komugi only laughed harder and stamped her foot on the ground, unable to breathe.

"What is that, penis envy?" she said in between breaths. "How can you seriously have a hat that big?" She fell back against the cargo boxes, and Kylon lowered his saber slightly, a look of childish hurt on his face.

"My hat is very distinguished, thank you. People from miles around flee at the sight of it!" he pouted.

"Of course they do, they're probably scared it's going to eat them!" Komugi continued to laugh, tears streaming from her eyes.

"C-Captain! D-don't let her talk to you like that! W-w-we, the bandito bandit pirates will stop her!" one of the pirates behind him stuttered as he attempted to jump bravely. At the announcement of their 'team name', Komugi began to laugh anew, and slid down the boxes to sit on her bottom with her knees slightly bent.

"Bandito bandits…oh please stop…" she said breathlessly, unable to draw in breath properly. "Oh my stomach…" she gasped, finally calming down in her laughter.

"Who…" Kylon began as she pushed herself to her feet. She held up a hand as she stood, silencing him.

"Let me talk first, I'm afraid anything that comes out of your mouth will send me back into a laughing fit." She panted, letting out light aftermath giggles. She stood up straight and took a breath, then cleared her throat. "I came to you to find out what you know of the Grand Pirate Zaken. I'm uh…researching him you see…" she began, but then stopped as Kylon doubled over and trembled, as if sick.

"I see! You're going to divulge a way to destroy him finally!" he exclaimed, popping back upright like a jack-in-the box. His yellowed eyes sparkled, and he clasped his hands under his chin as he stepped close to Komugi. Kylon was a very short man, nearly a foot shorter than Komugi's already short 5'2". His skin was graying, and sagged on his cheeks like an old person's would. He was bald underneath his oversized corsair hat, and his lower eyelids drooped. The flesh had rotted away at his joints on his arms and knees, and Komugi wondered how it was that he still moved. "It's about time someone came to me to ask about him, I know more about him than anyone else, after all I was on his ship before this curse happened!"

While Kylon trembled in excitement, Komugi quickly glanced at the four-man crew that still cowered on the other side of the fire, watching Komugi with frightened eyes. Unlike the pirates that were under Zaken's control, these men still held all signs of humanity despite the fact that they were rotting away. Their eyes were alive with intelligence; Zaken's crew was mindless undead waiting to be commanded. She wondered what the difference was.

"Yes, someone should've asked Captain earlier! Selfish living things, they don't know the greatness that is the Corsair Captain!" one of his crew spoke up. Kylon stood to his full height and puffed out his chest as his ego inflated, and hooked a hand around the tattered lapel of his coat.

"They probably took one look at the hat and figured you too retarded to be worth their time." Komugi muttered under her breath. Kylon opened his eyes slowly to stare at her in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe he'd heard her correctly. "Anyway, I'm asking you now, can you give me your story?" she said brightly, finding a stack of sandbags and smoothing her skirt under her bottom as she sat.

"Well, it all started oh…maybe forty years ago now." Kylon began, puffing his chest out. He glanced over his shoulder at his crewmates, and frowned. "Has it been that long?" he asked.

"One-hundred forty, fifty years sir, yes." The pirate answered. His jaw became unhinged as he talked, and he crossed his eyes as he tried to look down at it.

"Wow, time flies." Kylon said thoughtfully, and then cleared his throat as he returned his attention on Komugi. "Anyway, I was a teen when I came to become a member of Zaken's crew. I was never happy under his rule; he always treated me like a nuisance because of my size." Kylon glared into the air in memory, and clenched his jaw. Behind him, his crewmate struggled to get his jaw re-hinged. "We were all the same height once…just because he got that growth spurt…" he grumbled.

"You were on Zaken's ship…?" Komugi prodded, not wanting him to go off on a tangent.

"Yes, and I was unhappy. That idiot Tillion tricked me into mutinying, saying that he was going to rally up the rest of the crew because none of us liked Zaken after he became captain. Bastard lied to me, I ended up being the only one who disliked Zaken and they made a public spectacle of me when I tried to start the mutiny. Do you know how embarrassing it is to draw your sword as your captain comes out onto the deck and shout 'Mutiny!' at the top of your lungs only to be the only one charging in for the kill?" Kylon trembled, his face clouded in darkness.

"I can imagine." Komugi said blandly.

"They tethered me up to a cargo pulley in Gludin Harbor and stripped me naked just as a bunch of women came down from the village to greet their husbands for lunch." Kylon fumed, and gripped the sides of his hat in frustration. Three of the four of his crew behind him had begun to weep in sympathy, the fourth still struggling with his jaw.

"It's too cruel, captain!" one sobbed.

"After they left me there, I decided right there and then that I would rule the southern seas before him, and I built up the most fearsome crew I ever could!" Kylon said, making a fist. "We had a glorious name for ourselves, until Zaken got jealous and expanded his territory to the southern seas as well. Nobody fears you when you've got a good looking, tall pirate as your nemesis. We were laughed right out of the water."

"We still love you captain!" another pirate cried.

"The night that the stupid curse of his was activated, my crew and I tried to infiltrate the Island and challenge him to a rightful battle of Pirate versus Pirate. Ran in on him just as he killed Tillion, and before any of us could shout 'ARR', he flew at us with his swords and cut us all down in cold blood. Woke up like how you see us now the next night." Kylon glowered.

"It hurt so bad!" another pirate interjected.

"So now I'm here, waiting for a strong party to go in and finally do away with that bastard so I can finally become the Grand Pirate." Kylon finished with sparkling eyes. "I never thought a tiny little prophet like you would be the person to finally search for a way to undo him."

"Um, you do realize that you've told me nothing of Zaken, right?" Komugi stated flatly, staring at him evenly. Kylon's look of determination faded into one of surprise, and his mouth dropped open in an 'o' shape. He put a hand to his chin thoughtfully for a moment, and then shrugged.

"Zaken never spoke much of himself to me; I was always the sidekick that got punted around. I don't even know what part of Gracia he came from or why he wanted to become a Pirate in the first place. Tillion was the only one he ever confided in while we were alive." Kylon said lightly, shrugging. A vein popped out on Komugi's forehead, and she clenched her fists.

"You made me sit through that idiotic drivel just to tell me that you didn't really know anything about Zaken?" she seethed. She stood up quickly, the four pirates yelping like girls and clinging to one another at her movement.

"Ah! The Ice Queen! She might know about him!" Kylon suddenly said, not noticing her anger. Komugi calmed in an instant and blinked at him.

"That's the second time someone's mentioned her to me, what is she, Zaken's sister or something?" Komugi asked, her eyebrows drawing together. Kylon blinked at her in surprise, and glanced at his crew in what appeared to be confusion.

"You didn't know? I thought everyone knew." Kylon said. "The Ice Queen is Zaken's lo—"

"That's quite enough, Kylon." Zaken's voice came from the darkness. The four pirates yelped girlishly and clung to one another again as Zaken emerged from the sky and landed heavily beside Komugi and Kylon. Komugi's heart suddenly began to pound at the sight of him again, and she took a step backwards, feeling afraid of the look on his face but not understanding why. Kylon let out strange strangled noises and stumbled away from Zaken, clutching his hat to his head as if he were afraid Zaken would take it. Zaken stared at him without expression for a moment before turning to look at Komugi. "Why are you doing this?" he asked her in a cold voice. Komugi frowned at it, the tone igniting her temper again.

"Doing what? I can live as I please, thank you." She said curtly, folding her arms over her chest.

"I thought I made it clear to you, during your time on Devil's Isle with me that my past was to be left alone, can you not respect that?" Zaken asked, his voice rising with his own temper. He took a few measured steps towards her, and Komugi backed up, keeping the same distance between them.

"Yeah well your past is the thing that's causing me the most trouble right now so I think I have a right to know what went on so I can avoid it." Komugi returned his tone of voice with equal iciness.

"And knowing what went on includes killing them as you go?" Zaken said in a low voice. Kylon and his pirates yelped at this, and huddled near each other. Komugi clamped her jaw shut, but did not break eye contact with him. "So killing Wimere wasn't enough for you, you had to kill Magus Kenishee as well?"

"What are you talking about, I didn't touch the Magus!" Komugi responded shrilly, not believing what she was hearing. "Yes, I spoke with her, but she was alive when I left, nobody touched her!"

"You LIE." Zaken suddenly shouted, punching at her. His fist went through the side of the crate that she was pressed against, near her ear, and she gasped, startled that he would do such a thing. "I saw her body, I heard what happened. Are you really that possessive you silly little human? Do you honestly think I can be cowed into being your little servant boy like the children in your past?" Komugi's voice was caught in her throat, and she found that all words of response had fled her. "Are you going to tell me that you left Wimere alive as well, when the party you were seen with, left her cave with her belongings?"

"Wimere tried to kill me first! She somehow sensed the bite scar you left on me and…"

"Stop LYING to me, Komugi!" Zaken snapped. She clamped her mouth shut, her heart feeling as if it were being stabbed with hundreds of pins. She coughed twice, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat so Zaken couldn't see how much she was being hurt. Zaken stared at her angrily for a few more moments, then turned away and began walking towards the end of the bridge. "Get out of my sight, human. You are nothing but cattle to me." Komugi gasped lightly and took a step towards him, instinctively reaching a hand out to draw him back. _This is a misunderstanding, please listen to me!_ She shouted in her head. Tears welled in her eyes as her voice did not come. "If I ever see you near someone else tied to my past, or near Devil's Isle, I will kill you." His voice was low and his back faced her, but she could hear him clearly. "I revoke my protection on you; you are nothing to me now." With that he flew into the air and disappeared into the darkness. Komugi sunk to her knees, staring at the spot where he had stood with large eyes. Tears dripped out and hit the dusty cobblestone.

"Miss…?" Kylon attempted lightly, reaching a hand out to her.

"Don't touch me!" Komugi snapped, drawing down and covering her face with her hands. She rocked slightly and cried, her sniffles muffled by her hands. "When will I stop crying?" she asked no one mournfully. "When will things go back to how they were?"


	7. Chapter 7

Giran was bustling in the afternoon, the square thick with merchants and prospective buyers shouting out prices and goods to one another. It made it extremely hard for a half rotted, zombified pirate to slip through unnoticed, and he spent much of his time hiding behind Dwarven merchants seated on the ground and waiting for a Necromancer to pass by. When he'd see one (his undead senses could pick one out in an instant), he'd scurry out from behind the Dwarf and take up a limping, classic mindless zombie gait behind them. He'd slip away before they'd turn around, and wait for the next Necromancer to pass by.

Corsair Captain Kylon played this game of leap frog for several minutes until he managed to cross the large square, and slipped into the housing district towards the inn. He tip-toed with all of the stealth of an underwear thief, and reached for the handle of the back door. It was jerked open just as his rotting fingertips touched it, and a living body darted out and slammed into him, causing him to fall on his back like a turtle, his hat tumbling away.

"Kylon, what are you doing here?" Komugi's hissing voice came. She pulled him up firmly by his bony arm and dragged him to a crevice between the inn and the clan hall next door to it. "Why are you in Giran? In the middle of the day no less!" She folded her arms over her chest like an angry mother, and glared down at him. Kylon gave her an aloof look, and brushed the dust from his velvet hat with feigned disinterest.

"Can't a gentleman see how a lady is doing?" he asked casually, placing the hat back on his head. "You were really upset that day, so I thought I'd be nice and check up on you." Komugi sighed loudly and rolled her eyes at him.

"The sentiment is appreciated, but I'm doing fine. You didn't have to come all this way just to see me. What about your crew, they seem like they'd be lost without you." Komugi stated.

"There's a patch of fellow undead near Tanor Canyon, they're waiting for me there." Kylon said, puffing out his chest in pride at having thought of such a clever hiding spot. "Regardless however, how can you be fine? He seemed to have hit you with a pretty harsh blow there."

"I said I was fine!" Komugi snapped. "Zaken's an undead asshole, and I'm glad to be rid of him. I hope someone stakes him through the heart, you won't see me crying about it." She spun on her heel and walked away, angry that Kylon was trying to comfort her when she didn't need comforting. He had escorted her back to the camp as soon as she stopped crying long enough to walk, and after getting past Mune's swords of justice, explained what he could gather from the situation. No questions were asked, and the party set out for Giran the next morning. Kyosuke stayed near Komugi the entire time, and even sat next to her as she slept in the inn the first few days they were in town. His kindness pushed her through her upset, and she felt more like her old self than ever. Because it put her in a bad mood she hadn't thought of Zaken much at all, but Kylon had done an excellent job making her recall the night on the bridge.

"All the better then, you should find out what makes him tick to help put a stop to him!" Kylon exclaimed, following after her. He stiffened and began walking like a mindless zombie in her wake as a Dwarf passed them, but then recovered to himself as soon as it was clear.

"Oh sure, let me just go run naked into Anthras' lair while I'm at it." Komugi said icily, turning to face him. "If Zaken was following my actions that closely before, then I'll be damned if I'm going to go continue prodding into that jerk's past just for fun with a death threat hanging over my head. Go back to your little bridge, Kylon. I'd like to return to some semblance of the sane life that I had before I ever laid eyes on that blood-sucking freak show."

"It was an empty threat." Kylon said before she'd finished her rant. She closed her mouth quickly and her eyes widened in a look of disbelief.

"Do you even know what comes out of your mouth any more or have your brains rotted along with the rest of your body?" Komugi spat, narrowing her eyes. Kylon didn't blink as he stared at her, his expression serious."

"One thing I know from my time with Zaken is his threats. He couldn't even look at you when he did the little jerk show. This is highly unlike him; something else must be bugging him and he's just getting you out of the way so you don't have to experience it." Kylon stated calmly.

"Silenos shit." She grumbled, rolling her eyes. "I need to go pretend I'm getting drunk. Go away, Kylon." She turned away from him and marched back into the inn where he didn't dare follow her. She sat down at the first empty table she found, and leaned her elbow upon it heavily. _I wish Kyosuke were here._ She thought in irritation. The young merchant had left for the harbor to see if he could find work to earn some quick cash before Lavinia and Mune left for Aden. They had invited her to accompany them to the city, hoping that she'd find something to occupy her mind with there. Kyosuke requested to go along as well, to keep Komugi company once Lavinia had begun her duties as the substitute Magister.

"Oh hello, funny meeting you here!" a light voice said above the hum of conversation. Komugi lifted her head and looked around in confusion. A short-haired light elf grinned down at her from next to her table, and Komugi inwardly cringed. "Do you remember me? I'm the Summoner from that night on the boat from Talking Island." She said, sitting down at Komugi's table without asking for permission.

"How could I forget." Komugi said flatly, resting her chin on her hand and glancing away.

"My this is a small world, and here I was sitting in my inn room last night thinking about how I'd like to see you again and apologize!" she said happily, folding her hands daintily on the table. Komugi glanced at her without moving her head, keeping her face expressionless.

"Apologize for what?" Komugi asked warily, watching her. "If I'm recalling correctly you don't have to apologize for anything."

"Oh but I do!" the elf, whom Komugi's mind recalled being named Deedlit said, and leaned towards Komugi with a sad look on her face. "I'm afraid I lied to you about my name."

"Oh that." Komugi said, then shrugged and looked away. "No need to apologize for that either, I could tell then and responded accordingly." Deedlit's mouth clamped shut in an instant, and Komugi almost thought she saw a hateful look pass the elf's pretty face.

"Well, in the light of proper etiquette, I thought I should introduce myself to you properly." She said, smiling sweetly. "My name is Melissa. I had to lie you see, because I didn't want that Bisclaveret to follow me once we reached the mainland." Komugi lifted an eyebrow as she glanced back at her, and then sighed, sitting back in her seat.

"I lied too." She admitted, "My name is Komugi, not Koyori."

"I knew that too." Melissa giggled. "I met what I suppose is the real Koyori awhile ago, and through strange circumstances she ended up telling me about you." She lifted a hand to cover her mouth daintily as she laughed. "You two's rivalry is so adorable!" Komugi's hair prickled out slightly and she clenched her fists.

"Nothing cute about it, I wish her chest would inflate and carry her away." Komugi growled, glaring into the air. Melissa giggled again.

"She has the cutest boyfriend too! My he's handsome!" Melissa continued, staring dreamily into the air. Komugi's head snapped back around to look at her.

"A boyfriend? Since when can the raccoon get anyone that I haven't cast off yet?" Komugi asked, shocked. "Did you catch his name? Maybe I know him."

"I believe he said his name was…hmmm… Gatz!" Melissa said after a moment of thought. Komugi's hands came down on the table hard, rattling the oil lamp in the center of it.

"WHAT?" she said louder than she had intended. Several people stopped talking to look at her, but she ignored them. "That brainless slut, how dare she! That was my sister's reserved boyfriend!" Komugi stood up from her chair quickly, her teeth bared. "I'm going to find her and bounce her all the way to Gracia on her chest alone."

"Komugi, there you are!" Kyosuke's voice preceded his body as he weaved his way through the inn towards her. His cheeks were rosy, and he had an accomplished glow to himself. "I have enough money to survive me awhile in Aden, when are we leaving?" he asked. Her temper thrown off, Komugi stared at him blankly for a moment before grinning at him happily.

"I guess as soon as we find Lavinia…" she began.

"Great! I'll go look for her!" he declared, and leaned down to peck her cheek quickly before dashing back through the inn. Komugi watched him go with a grin on her face, and placed a hand on her cheek where he'd kissed her.

"Ooh, he was cute, is that your boyfriend?" Melissa asked coyly, giving Komugi a sly grin. Komugi faced her in an instant, her cheeks red.

"He's a friend!" she exclaimed, the paused and thought for a second. "Right now anyway." She added.

"Go for him, he's gorgeous!" Melissa urged, her grin spreading.

"I think I will." Komugi decided, nodding firmly. "Thank you Melissa, it was nice seeing you again." She waved as she departed, and never saw Melissa's friendly smile grow cold.

"Komugi, hey wait!" Kylon's voice came as Komugi walked towards the square with Kyosuke. Komugi groaned and looked to the sky, composing her temper before turning around.  
"What?" she snapped, putting her hands on her hips.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking between her and Kyosuke. "Oh! I see, you're going to head up to Elmore to see the Ice Queen, I'm so glad you took my suggestion!' he said happily.

"Whatever Kylon, I told you I wasn't interested in pursuing Zaken's past anymore and I meant it. I'm moving on with my life. Don't think I'll see you again, so goodbye." She spun on heel and smiled sweetly at Kyosuke as she took his arm.

"You're giving up? You're so close to finishing it all!' Kylon's voice came, and Komugi skidded to a halt again. "Don't give up just because he's throwing a temper tantrum, spite him and show him who's boss!"

"Goodbye Kylon." Komugi said again, her voice an icy growl. Kylon froze with the hateful look she gave him, and looked down at the brick street as she walked up the stairs connecting the residential district with the square.

"Fine, give up. I'll do it myself." Kylon grumbled, turning his back on her and walking towards the entrance. "Don't need some stuck up little priss human child to do a man's work. Go run away with your boyfriend, see if anyone cares." He grumbled.

Komugi and Kyosuke met Lavinia and Mune at the Gatekeeper and flew directly to Aden. Komugi had never been in the grand city before, and her eyes widened in wonder at her first sight of it. It was glowing white and gold everywhere and the residents walked with a regal air about them.

"Shall we explore?" Kyosuke asked, offering her his arm like a gentleman. Komugi grinned at him and nodded, taking it enthusiastically. After telling Lavinia and Mune their plans, they began walking the city curiously.

Kyosuke took her to many merchant's booths, and she saw items that she'd never seen before. There were many things from Elmore here, and she stared in wonder at the jewels and gems that were brought from there. He spoiled her by buying her exotic treats, and even a set of Zubei armor which he had the blacksmith magically alter to fit her. In thanks, she took him behind one of the Clan Halls lining the outer streets around Aden's square, and kissed him enthusiastically.

It had been a long time since she'd really kissed anyone more than the simple peck she and Zaken had shared, and her heart thudded in excitement as it did the first time Ryonai had ever kissed her. The longer the kiss went on though; Komugi found her heart wasn't into it as much as she wanted it to be. She kept seeing a phantom sad look on Zaken's face the night on the bridge, and she ended up breaking the kiss as it ruined the mood.

"I'm sorry." She said, looking down to the grass. Kyosuke smiled and put a hand on her cheek, and kissed her forehead.

"It's ok, I'm not offended." He chuckled. "I'm glad you like your new armor." He smiled. Komugi returned it and curtsied lightly in her heavy brown, red and gold skirt. He flung an arm across her shoulders and they emerged from behind the Clan Hall.

"WHY IS THE DARK ELVEN GUILD THIS CLOSE TO THE MAGIC GUILD?" Komugi heard Mune screech. She and Kyosuke paused in their walking to look in the direction her voice came from. Mune stood in the street, fuming with her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Lavinia had her face partially hidden in embarrassment with her hand, already dressed in the green Magister's dress. Three Dwarven girls stood around them, looking up at Mune.

"There's nothing wrong with the Dark Elven guild being there Mune, you really need to learn to grow out of this." Lavinia sighed.

"Dark Elves make delicious pie!" a Dwarf with red hair that hid their eyes from view proclaimed. Next to them stood a pink-haired one with an identical eye-hiding hairstyle.

"Plenty of love!" this one proclaimed.

"That's it, I'm out of here." Mune stated, turning on her heel.

"Mune! You just got here!" Lavinia protested, walking after her. The three Dwarves trailed them like ducklings, each grinning widely.

"Wait, what's going on?" Komugi asked, raising an eyebrow as she stepped in Mune's path of travel. "And who are the goblins following you?" The three Dwarves reminded her of Junk Pixie somehow, and it disturbed her.

"That…that…that harlot lied to me!" Mune sputtered, pointing a shaking finger at Lavinia. "And those things just latched on to us out of nowhere, I don't know where they came from." She added in a calmer voice.

"Mune, I didn't lie to you, I've never been to Aden before myself, I didn't know the Dark Elven Guild was that close." Lavinia sighed in exasperation. She glanced down at the Dwarves, "Curiously though, where did you guys come from?"

"Do you know magic?" another with pink hair cut into a short shaggy style asked, tugging on her skirt.

"Yes?" Lavinia responded warily. The Dwarf squealed and latched onto Lavinia's waist in a tight hug.

"Great! You can teach Ichigo magic!" she proclaimed, hopping as she hugged. She pointed to the twin Dwarves hopping back and forth on their feet behind her. "That's Midget of Plenty and Plenty of Midget. They're inventors." She introduced.

"Mama finally let us out of the house." The one with red hair proclaimed proudly.

"We're gonna be richer than big sister Junk Pixie!" the other pink haired one added.

"Oh gods they are related." Komugi groaned, putting her own hand to her head as a headache sprang into it. "I met Junk Pixie a year ago." She explained as everyone turned to look at her in confusion.

"That's nice." Mune said, staring blankly into the air. "In any case, I'm gone. Bye Lavinia, I'll write to you." She said, waving as she left.

"Mune!" Lavinia exclaimed in disbelief. She clutched her hair by her scalp and groaned in frustration as her sister left without a backwards glance.

"Kay, bye!" the twins proclaimed in unison after hugging Ichigo. They trotted off in Mune's wake, leaving a very confused Komugi and Kyosuke behind.

"She's going to kill people…" Lavinia worried, pacing back and forth slightly. She focused on Komugi and latched onto her hands. "If you're not doing anything, can you follow her and try to convince her to come back? I really don't want to spend my time here alone." She pleaded, looking at Komugi desperately.

"I'm here!" Ichigo proclaimed, throwing a fist into the air.

"Um sure…I guess…" Komugi said absent-mindedly, her mind still trying to grasp what had happened. "You don't mind do you?" she asked Kyosuke. He shook his head and took her hand in his.

"I'll go where you go." He smiled. Komugi recovered from her stupor and blushed.

"Your mushiness is very nice, now hurry or she'll get too far away!" Lavinia said, shooing them in the direction she had gone.

"Make sure Midget and Plenty brush the little dangly thing in their mouth every night before bed!" Ichigo shouted as Komugi and Kyosuke departed.

After not finding Mune anywhere in the city, Komugi quickly raced to the Gatekeeper and described Mune to her. The Gatekeeper thought for a moment, and then admitted to sending someone who fit Mune's description to Goddard. Komugi quickly requested a spell for her and Kyosuke to the city without hesitation, hoping to catch Mune before she got too far.

As she arrived, however, she found no sign of Mune, but a male Swordsinger that resembled Mune somewhat.

"How in the world can you confuse a man for a woman?" Komugi asked in exasperation as Kyosuke laughed at the irony.

"They are rather feminine, maybe the Gatekeeper didn't check for breasts." Kyosuke laughed. Komugi smacked him playfully on his shoulder, but grinned herself. "Well now what, shall we go back to continue searching for her?" he asked. They sat upon cargo boxes near a derelict house, and Kyosuke slipped his arm over Komugi's shoulders. She leaned against his chest and sighed.

"Nah, let's do our own thing. She could be anywhere by now." Komugi said lightly, playing with a tear in his tunic. She glanced up to the sky, which was turning pink with dusk. "Let's get out of here come dawn, this place is really depressing."

Goddard was a high-walled city that lacked color and life. It was separated into two different levels, the higher level reserved for clans of prestige and nobility. Their Temple of Einhasad was located here, dug deep within a mountain. The lower level, where she and Kyosuke sat, was derelict and full of poverty. It was cold, and families huddled around steel barrels that fires had been built in to stay warm.

"Think they have an inn?" Kyosuke asked, glancing around him.

"I wouldn't trust it if they do. Come on, we may not be in Aden anymore, but since I'm a Prophet of Einhasad, I should be able to get us a room in the Temple's quarters." Komugi said, sliding off the box. She waited until Kyosuke hopped off before taking his hand and walking to the stairway that would lead them to the prestigious level.

"Spare some adena?" a ragged looking woman asked, holding out her hands. "Please, I have no money." Komugi's heart wrenched in pity, but she ducked her head down and kept walking. She wanted to help the woman, but she knew that if she did, she'd attract the rest of the beggars who stood near the stairways.

"How pitiful it is for a king to let his land go to waste over the lust for immortality." Kyosuke murmured, not looking at the beggars around him. Komugi looked up to his face curiously, and found his expression hard.

"I heard the King of Elmore was mad, I guess it's true." Komugi murmured.

It was decidedly warmer on the upper platform, fire wells lining the temple entrance heating the prestigious level. She and Kyosuke entered the Temple, and she went straight to the Head Priest and falsified a situation to him to get room and board. There was a moment of hesitation, but the Priest consented, and Komugi and Kyosuke were shown a room for the night.

"Well, this is quaint." Kyosuke said, as he and Komugi stared at the broken-down single bed in the room they were given. He cleared his throat and looked at her. "I can sleep on the floor if you'd like." He offered politely, his ears red.

"It'll be fine, just behave yourself." Komugi grinned, secretly pleased with the turn out.

"I'll try." He said, his polite smile turning wicked.

As Komugi had expected, Kyosuke managed to behave himself as far as not removing her clothes and forcing himself upon her. Every other base, it seemed, was fair game, and they made out long into the night. Komugi finally told him that enough was enough, because her lips were bruising. Kyosuke fell asleep with his arm around her, but Komugi found that sleep was far from her grasp.

She pushed herself from the bed as soon as she was sure Kyosuke was asleep, and padded silently out into the Temple wearing her nightgown and a shawl the Temple Priestesses had provided her with. It was the evening of her 15th birthday, and nobody knew but her.

She sighed as she stepped out of the temple and gazed up at the moon, her breath crystallizing in the air. It was still warm down in Aden, but Elmore was known for its colder temperatures. Wrapping the shawl around herself tighter, she hurried across the upper platform and towards the stairs leading to the lower level, as strains of music met her ears. Her feet became so cold on the stone that it hurt her, but she didn't turn back to retrieve her shoes.

A group of the poverty-stricken townspeople had gathered around a campfire they'd made in the middle of the city, and several played hand-carved flutes and fiddles while others danced around them. Others clapped in time to the music, and there was a smile on everyone's rosy cheeks despite the cold. Komugi felt herself echoing their expressions, the scene reminding her of the summer nights back in Talking Island when she was a child.

A little girl with carrot-red hair came up and looked up at her curiously. Komugi smiled at her, which the girl echoed, displaying a gaping hole where her two front teeth had once been. She grabbed Komugi's hand and led her in the middle of the dancing group, and began hopping in time with the music. Komugi laughed and began to dance as well, and a kindly woman put down shoes for Komugi to slip into so her feet would become warm.

These people's lives were rich, she realized, despite the poor conditions they lived in. They appeared to be having more fun than the rich folk in the upper level. She finally escaped the dancing circle after a few songs, and sat on a box on the outskirts, helping the musicians by keeping time with the music. A pretty elfin girl with hair as rich of a blue as the water in the Garden of Eva jumped into the dancing circle alone and danced elegantly to the music. It sped up the longer she danced, but she kept in time with it gracefully. When it ended, she fell elegantly to the ground in a finishing pose, and the entire group erupted into cheers. Komugi joined the people as they laughed at a smitten youth as he tripped attempting to give her a flower.

Movement on the other side of the circle caught her attention, and she was surprised to see Melissa moving away from the group. Gathering the shawl around her shoulders she hopped off the crate and jogged after her, a smile on her face. Melissa hurried down the steps leading out of town, towards the path that led to the Garden of Beasts. Komugi took a breath to shout her name, but it left her in a whoosh of air, as Melissa approached a taller figure and embraced it romantically.

In the moonlight, Komugi could make out the silver glint of armor, and a long blonde ponytail bound in a familiar fashion trailing down the man's back. Her breath caught in her chest in realization as the man stroked Melissa's cheek, then gently cupped her neck with his hand and pressed his mouth against it. Komugi fled back into the city without a backwards glance and into the temple, hot tears stinging her eyes. _He was just feeding; I don't care what he's doing._ She repeated to herself over and over again.

She threw the shawl onto the desk chair that sat near the bed, and crawled under the covers as quickly as she could. She snuggled close to Kyosuke, pressing her face against the skin of his back as she tried to get a grasp over her emotions.

"Ah, you're cold." Kyosuke said groggily, rolling over to face her.

"Sorry, went for a walk." She said, trying to smile. He gave her a sleepy grin and wrapped his arms around her shoulders before falling back asleep. _That's right, I don't' care anymore_. She said to herself firmly. _I have someone much better than he ever was. _ Jealousy still chewed at the back of her mind, however, and she began imagining doing torturous things to Zaken's person to comfort herself. She drifted to sleep imagining herself kicking him as hard as she could in his genitalia, repeatedly, a content smile on her face.


	8. Chapter 8

"Komugi!' a surprised voice exclaimed as Komugi and Kyosuke emerged from the temple the next morning. She turned with large eyes to find Ryonai and Shizuka approaching them. Ryonai had the cocky grin she always remembered on his face, and she smiled in return.

"Hey! Where have you been?" she asked, giving him a friendly hug. "This is Kyosuke by the way." She introduced quickly, knowing that once Ryonai launched into a story to answer her first question, she wouldn't get a chance to.

"Pleasure." He said good-naturedly, shaking Kyosuke's hand. Shizuka waved at Komugi enthusiastically, but the girl returned it with an unamused stare. "Anyway, you wouldn't be-LIEVE what Shizuka and I saw over in the Ketra Orc Outpost." Ryonai began, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

"What were you doing over there?" Komugi asked in disbelief. The Ketra Orcs were strong, much too strong for even a Paladin like Ryonai.

"We were at the Hot Springs, it was so romantic! Ryonai is such fun to bathe with…" Shizuka chimed in. Ryonai's ears turned pink and he cleared his throat to stop her from continuing.

"Anyway, we got a guide to help us pass through so we wouldn't get slaughtered, and you'll never guess what we saw them toting to the Pilgrim's Temple." He began again, the grin returning.

"Tell me already!" Komugi exclaimed, hating how he took forever to get a story out.

"A zombie with the BIGGEST Corsair hat you would ever see. It was like he was compensating for something!" Ryonai burst out into laughter in memory, and Shizuka giggled with him. His mirth ended abruptly at the look on Komugi and Kyosuke's faces. "You don't think that's funny?" he asked curiously. "I guess you had to be there to see it, ah well." His face fell in disappointment, and he kicked his toe into the ground. "I'll be right back though, I need to see if the Warrior guild here has anything for me to learn. Be right back!" he and Shizuka jogged towards the temple then, leaving Komugi and Kyosuke to stare silently into the air.

"I take it we've found our next destination?" Kyosuke asked, looking at her. Komugi sighed heavily and let her shoulders droop.

"If I were a meaner person I'd say leave him…but I'm not, so yes." She said bitterly, dragging her feet towards the stairway leading to the lower level. "Here's hoping it's as easy to get him out as it was for him to get in." she said grimly.

Komugi and Kyosuke crouched outside of the wooden log fence that marked the entrance into the Ketra Outpost, staring into it. A few two-headed birds known as Kookaburra's milled about inside, rooting around the grass for insects, and a couple of bow-carrying Orcs stood on rocks, looking out for intruders. They didn't seem to notice the human pair staring inside of the Outpost, however.

"So how will we go about this?" Kyosuke whispered. Komugi chewed the inside of her lip thoughtfully. She had never been much of a tactician, her training extending only to be enough to survive following idiot tanks, not be a tank herself. She sighed heavily and stood, rolling her head on her shoulders to crack her neck.

"Follow my lead." She murmured, and then strolled bravely into the Outpost. Kyosuke's eyes bugged out of his head as she held up her arms and flapped them, cawing like the Kookaburras. Seeing this enraged the birds, and they flew towards her. "I'M STEALING YOUR BIRDS!" she shouted as she ran past the bewildered Ketra archers. They roared in shock as she ran past Kyosuke and down the path leading back to Goddard. He ran as fast as he could to catch up with her, arrows raining down around them.

"What good will this do again, other than get us killed by angry Kookaburras?" he shouted to her above the squawking birds.

"Wait for it!" Komugi answered breathlessly. A large Ketra commander suddenly leapt down from the mountainside they ran next to with a roar, and covered the both of them with a black sack in one movement.

Komugi and Kyosuke clung to each other inside the dark sack for what felt like days, only allowed out to relieve themselves or eat stale bread and water. They felt like they were being taken somewhere, but their guard would not tell them.

Their guard was a tall Orc who was more of a High Orc in physical appearance than a Ketra, and had dark brown hair cut in a short, youthful style. He seemed young and eager to please the rest of the Ketra, and treated both Komugi and Kyosuke roughly.

"Can you tell us where we're going at least?" Komugi called through the bag on what felt like to her to be the third day since capture.

"Ketra Orcs don't answer to pithy human females." The guard growled. They were on a wagon pulled by buffalo, and their guard snapped his whip to make the buffalo walk faster.

"Ok then, can you tell _me_ where we're going?" Kyosuke asked instead, smoothing Komugi's hair from her face. He had held her protectively since being tossed into the bag, and Komugi was rather enjoying herself despite being cramped. Being a captive wasn't so bad when she had a companion with her. The guard was silent for a moment, and Komugi got the distinct feeling that he was rolling his eyes at them.

"Pilgrims Temple." The guard finally said in a low voice. "You both defiled our sacred birds, so you must be held there until the day of sacrifice so Ka'Toleth's anger will be satiated. Your act of sacrilege is too sinful for our standard jail in town, so you're being taken to the defiled place."

"Yes! Plan accomplished!" Komugi said happily.

"This was your plan?" Kyosuke asked in disbelief. Komugi didn't have to see him to know he was giving her a look of horror.

"Well, it got us in, didn't it? And now we're being taken directly to Kylon, so it's all good." She said, smiling.

"And then we're going to die." Kyosuke added flatly. Komugi stuck her tongue out at him and snuggled close.

"We won't die, we'll figure something out." She assured him. She wondered if it was the influence of the company she'd been keeping, but she was strangely unafraid at that moment. Her sixth sense told her that things would work out, and she put her faith in it.

They finally stopped rocking a few hours later, and Komugi heard their guard grunt as he hefted the bag from the cart. They were jostled as he carried them over his shoulder, and Komugi glared in annoyance as Kyosuke's hand conveniently landed on her breasts.

"Sorry." He said in a strained voice, her elbow pressed against his crotch.

"Yeah I'll bet." She said flatly. Both of them grunted as the bag was set down roughly. The top was untied, and Komugi found herself being plucked from the bag like a kitten. She blinked in bewilderment as the Orc put her on a broken piece of rock and bound her hands and feet with rough rope.

"Komugi?" she heard Kylon's voice come, surprised. She glanced over her shoulder to find the zombie sitting near a female Orc wearing an opaque veil over the lower half of her face.

"Hi!" she said brightly, grinning at him. "I'm here to rescue you."

"I see you've gotten off to a great start with that." Kylon said flatly, lowering his eyelids at her. Kyosuke was put on the slab of rock next, and winced as the Orc tied him up. He lifted them both by the backs of their jackets and carried them inside of the temple. They were placed roughly next to the Orc woman. The guard then took up a post near a pillar supporting the domed ceiling, and pulled a spear from where it was secured on his back. There was an uneasy silence for a moment as Kylon and the Orc woman watched their guard warily, and then the two turned towards the newcomers.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were eloping with your boyfriend." Kylon said bitterly.

"Gee, that's the thanks I get for coming all this way to rescue you?" Komugi responded, glaring at him. Kylon sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, you're quite the heroine." He stated sarcastically. Komugi whipped her tied legs around quickly to smack his leg. The impact was harder than she intended, and his bony knee was knocked from its joint. "Oh great! Thanks a lot!" Kylon said angrily. He began to shift on his bottom, trying to put the bone back in its proper spot.

"Be quiet." The guard growled, glaring at them. The four prisoners silenced and glanced at him for a moment. He was definitely intimidating, Komugi would admit that, but at the same time there was a quality about him that prevented Komugi from disliking or fearing him.

"Are you to be sacrificed as well?" the Orc woman whispered, looking at them in pity.

"They'd like to think so…" Komugi grinned. She shifted slightly until her fingers found the knot binding her hands together. "Apparently I defiled their birds by taking them out of the Outpost, what are you in for?" She began to work at the knot, trying to undo it without being noticed. The woman was silent, and glanced down as if ashamed.

"She is a disgusting mix of Dark Elf and Orc, her existence is dishonorable to Ka'Toleth." The guard stated, overhearing them.

"And I suppose a High Orc being amongst the Ketra is just as honorable? Last I learned they hated High Orcs." Komugi retorted glancing over her shoulder at the guard. He growled and thrust his spear under Komugi's nose.

"I am Ketra!" he snarled, his lip curling like an angry wolf. Komugi stared at the point of his spear without interest until the guard grunted and returned to the pillar.

"Yeah whatever." She muttered, turning away from him. "So do you have a name?" she asked the Orc woman.

"Sprissa." The woman responded without hesitation. "I discovered a journal that my mother had written before I was born and it spoke of family on my father's side. I learned that I have a half-sibling that lives somewhere in this region, and I came here looking for them." She sighed, her shoulders drooping. "I came to the Ketra Orcs in peace, but they could see my lineage and imprisoned me immediately."

"Again Orcs prove to be stupid." Komugi grunted. She had managed to get one finger into the knot, and now worked to pull the rope free. "No offense." She said quickly, hoping she didn't offend the kind Orc woman in front of her.

"None taken." Sprissa said, her eyes shutting with what Komugi assumed was a smile underneath her veil. "I am only too fully aware that my kin is prone to act before thought. I only hope that I can at least touch a few of them and change that even a little before I die." She sighed. "My father, Oonugh, was told in my mother's journal to be a brave warrior who was both mighty and gentle. He only lifted his spear when peace could not be achieved otherwise. I can only hope to aspire to be like that some day." At the post, the guard stiffened, and stared at Sprissa with a hard gaze.

"Wow, I find that a little hard to believe. No Orc alive could ever be like that." Kylon commented.

"It's happened before." Kyosuke spoke up now, and Sprissa turned to look at him with her eyebrows raised in surprise. "I've heard many legends in the time I spent on ships. Every so often there will exist an Orc or two that totally go beyond the norm and are the most stable creatures in existence. They're usually killed in unfortunate ways before they can have offspring, so your father got lucky to pass his nature on."

Sprissa nodded her agreement and said, "Yes, but only if I could find my half-sibling. I'm sure they carry the same strength my father does."

"Speaking of strength…" Kylon began, looking pointedly at Komugi who was frowning as she struggled with the knot in her bonds. "Did you decide to return to searching for Zaken's past? Is that why you're in Elmore?" He didn't bother to mask the hope in his voice, and Komugi lifted her head to glare at him.

"No, I'm in Elmore because I was looking for one of my companions." She looked back down to the stone ground as she worked with the knot once more. "I'm through with Zaken, he didn't want anything more to do with me, and so I've moved on. I'm with Kyosuke now and let me tell you, he's much better of a choice than Zaken ever was." Kyosuke cleared his throat and blushed with Komugi's words, and Sprissa chuckled. Kylon watched her without expression for a moment and then looked away from her, frowning.

"Your mouth says that, but your eyes say differently." He said lightly. Komugi lifted her head quickly to glare at him, clenching her jaw shut as her temper flared. "If anything, I would be mad at the Ice Queen, not him." He continued, staring at the light that filtered through the domed ceiling. "She's been following you all this time you know, it's her fault that I got caught by the Ketra in the first place. Who knows what she's done with my crew by now."

"Wait, repeat that again?" Komugi asked, leaning close to him. Kylon glanced back at her with a skeptical look.

"You couldn't sense her? I saw her standing behind you when you first arrived at the bridge to find me. She disappeared after Zaken arrived, but then I saw her again inside Giran's Inn. She frequently disguises herself in her former Light Elf appearance to move about the mortal world unnoticed." He shook his head as Komugi stared at him in shock. "Always the jealous bitch, that Freya. She moves from lover to lover, but her true favorites she makes sure no one ever gets close to, even if she never comes to their side again. She believes Zaken is her property and should remain pining away for just her the rest of his undead life. So yeah, she's probably the one causing all of your trouble with Zaken, not Zaken at all."

Komugi's face darkened as everything became clear to her, and rage began to build within her. "Melissa." She growled, remembering the strange looks of hate that would pass the Elf's features randomly.

"Oh, she's going by that name again? How brave of her, going by her original name." Kylon rolled his eyes as if the Ice Queen were nothing more than a tantruming teen. "She probably thinks you're too uncultured to know that Melissa was her name while she was an Elven princess."

"That's it, I'm out of here." Komugi said, now openly struggling with her bonds.

"Hey!" their guard shouted, standing straight as he noticed her movement.

"You're going to see the Ice Queen then?" Kylon said hopefully, his eyes shining.

"You bet I am. I'm going to say 'hi, how are you?' and then I'm going to kill her and tell her off with all of the colorful words I can recall from my vocabulary. In that order." She said, working her arm free.

"You'll stop that or I'm going to kill you!" the guard snarled, stomping towards them.

"Bite me." Komugi snarled back, pulling the rope from her legs. The guard paused as if surprised by her boldness, then growled and swung his spear at her head. Sprissa, her legs untied for some reason, jumped to her feet and planted herself in the path of the guard's spear. He changed the direction it swung at the last minute, and the end of it caught her veil and pulled it from her face. The guard's eyes widened at the look of determination on her face, and she met his gaze without fear.

"Alright, let's go!' Komugi exclaimed, kneeling behind Sprissa to work at the ropes holding her wrists together. She blinked in surprise as she found the rope merely wrapped around the woman's wrists; she had untied herself long ago.

"Are you of my blood? Was your father the Titan Oonugh?" she heard Sprissa asked the guard in a low voice. Komugi looked at the guard, who had begun to tremble as he held the spear, its point touching the woman's chest.

"I am Ketra!" he repeated with a growl. "My father was a dishonor even though the Ketra spared him their knowledge." With her veil off, Komugi noticed that Sprissa did indeed have some resemblance to the guard in front of them. However, she looked more like a green-skinned Dark Elf than an Orc, and was very pretty.

The temple began to rumble, interrupting the strained silence between the Orcs. Kylon, his knee back in its proper joint, stumbled to his feet and over to a pillar, where he held on for dear life. Komugi knelt to the ground to keep her balance, and Kyosuke knelt beside her. Sprissa stumbled slightly and fell onto the guard, who stared at her with an unreadable expression as he put his hands on her shoulders to support her.

The wall farthest away from them exploded outward in the next moment, dust filling the room and debris flying through it. Kyosuke shielded Komugi with his body as she ducked down, and the guard quickly turned so that Sprissa was pressed against the pillar, the rocks hitting his back. She glanced up at him in surprise as the hail of rocks ended, and he looked away from her, as if embarrassed.

Through the hole in the wall suddenly leapt a demonic looking woman with glowing eyes riding upon a strange dog-beast. Both woman and beast lacked lips, and had sharp, pointed teeth. Her head seemed to have grown long to act as hair, skin bulging and splitting in a frightening mockery of it. She pulled her beast up short, and it snarled and snapped at the people inside of the temple, and Kylon squealed like a little girl as he hugged the pillar in fear. Komugi fell onto her bottom, and Kyosuke crouched next to her, holding onto her shoulders protectively.

"Where is the bastard that dares to disturb my master?" the demon woman demanded, her voice sounding as if it were grating with rocks. A floating, horned spirit wearing long robes and carrying a staff floated in on one side of her from the hole, and a red demon with a mouth in its torso flew in on the other. Her glowing eyes scanned the room, and she let out a hiss that sounded like a snakes. Her beast shifted and paced below her, anxious for a battle.

"Begone demon! This is the sacred land of the Ketra, you are not welcome here!' the guard shouted bravely, brandishing his spear. The demon woman hissed again, and her beast snapped at the guard's weapon.

"This land belongs to my master Scarlet von Halisha! You are merely being tolerated!" she snarled. "Now bring the demon that dares infiltrate my master's territory so that I may honor her and bring his head for her to eat!"

"There are no demons here, so book it lady; I'm in a bad mood." Komugi said, standing up. "I've had it up to here with you supernatural beings, always stepping in and thinking you can rule our lives. Go back to your little tunnel thing, and we'll be out of your master's territory quick enough." She spun on her heel, not noticing the bewildered looks that she was receiving from everyone around her. Kylon peeled himself from the pillar and quickly dashed to follow close behind her.

"Impudent little mortal! You will die for your insolence!" the demon shouted, and with a wave of her hand, her two servants flew towards Komugi's back. She spun around with a surprised gasp and winced as the demon servant raised its claws with a squeal. It froze mid-swing and suddenly began to dissolve into tiny particles. Kyosuke stood behind it, half crouched with one arm extended and his fingers clenched in a claw-shape. A black-rimmed light glowed around his hand, and he had a look of hatred upon his face.

"Get out of here, hurry! I'll find you later!" Kyosuke commanded. The horned spirit hesitated, and the demon woman let out a shrill noise.

"You! You are the one I seek!" she screeched.

"Kyosuke!" Komugi exclaimed as the guard, Sprissa and Kylon raced behind her and out of the temple.

"I'll be fine; I promise I'll find you later." Kyosuke said with a half grin. He grabbed her around her waist and kissed her. "You're radiant when you're angry, don't ever change." He shoved her roughly on her back and she went flying through the temple. She landed roughly on her side near the entryway, and Sprissa quickly pulled her to her feet. There was another rumbling, and rocks fell from the ceiling of the Temple, blocking their path in.

"KYOSUKE!" Komugi cried as Sprissa pulled her away from the temple at a run.

Inside, now alone, Kyosuke faced the Shadow of Halisha with a dark grin. "Now that the pests are out of the way…" he said, his voice deepening slightly. The Shadow backed away slightly as Kyosuke suddenly began to grow, his body changing shape and color as his disguise melted away.

Far below the Pilgrim's Temple where a battle of demon versus demon was taking place, a tiny woman with gray skin and silver hair that fell over each shoulder to her collarbone, sat in the center of a large circular room. She wore a black bikini of warrior design, and had strange, thin horns protruding from her forehead and extending daintily over her head. Her knees were drawn up, and she rested her arms over them as she gazed to the high ceiling. This strange room lined with candles and portraits was the Last Sepulcher, the place where the mad King of Elmore had locked himself away, and this girl was Scarlet von Halisha, the demon in which he had made his blood pact with.

"Who gave you permission to send the Shadow out?" a male voice came. Scarlet turned her head slightly to glance behind her. Upon a raised podium, in front of a large pipe organ sat the man who was her captor, lover and bonded, Frintezza. She shrugged and returned her gaze to the ceiling. In her mind's eye she watched the battle, as the Shadow was a weaker extension of herself.

"That old pervert Beleth didn't warn one of his underlings to stay away from my territory, so I'm teaching him a lesson." She answered. Her voice was innocent and youthful, but there was nothing truly innocent about her. The King, the upper half of his face covered in a mask, tilted his head as he connected himself with the Shadow as well. The Shadow had been the first of four wives he'd taken to sacrifice to bring Scarlet into the mortal world, and had been the fieriest.

"It seems Beleth's servant is winning. Too bad for you, I guess your attempt at freedom failed." Frintezza said with a shrill giggle. Scarlet stood and spun herself to face Frintezza quickly, the richly embroidered black loincloth that draped down between her legs swinging with her movement.

"I merely sent her forth to stop Beleth from invading our sacred territory!" Scarlet said quickly, shocked that Frintezza could see through her so fast. Truth be told, she had hoped to possess the body of Beleth's servant, and escape Frintezza's enchantments upon her through him. "You're so near your final goal master, I merely wished to stop anyone from interfering with that!" Frintezza raised a finger and waved it back and forth like a metronome, clicking his tongue with it. Scarlet clamped her mouth shut with the movement, her face darkening with suppressed rage.

"I do so find it deliciously adorable how you try to fool me, Scarlet." Frintezza said, amused. "But I am quite capable of protecting myself from Einhasad herself if I needed to. You needn't be so worried; my plans will come together in the end." He began to laugh shrilly, his voice echoing off of the high beams that held the ceiling in its place. Next to him, leaning peacefully next to the organ, was a large golden sword that flashed with both holy and unholy light. The only time it had ever seen battle was in the hands of a Dark Elf who sought to avenge herself by killing the god who dishonored her, and it was thought to be lost. A yellow flame swirled around it with Frintezza's laughter, as if joining him in his mad amusement, knowing that it's time for true battle was at hand.


	9. Chapter 9

After her moment of shock dissipated, Komugi reset her determination to find the Ice Queen the next day. She held faith in Kyosuke's words, and swore that if he didn't come find her, she'd think of a suitable punishment for him.

After stealing provisions, Komugi set off on foot for the Ice Queen's castle, a month and a half journey from where they were at the Pilgrim's Temple. Kylon, Sprissa and their guard (whom eventually introduced himself as Broud) accompanied her on the trip. Broud claimed that he had dishonored the Ketra by allowing the Shadow of Halisha to infiltrate the Outpost, and he would be punished if his guardian found out that he had let the prisoners escape. He was in a largely sour mood because of it, but Sprissa's calm nature seemed to keep him from acting out on it.

Through some careful talking, Sprissa discovered that Broud was indeed the sibling she had been searching for. There was something strange about the way Broud gazed at Sprissa that left Komugi feeling uneasy. It was as if he had taken an interest in her, and didn't care that they were related. _To each their own._ She finally decided, and pushed all thoughts of it from her head.

The land grew colder as they traveled, and the Orcs had to stop frequently as they crossed the mountains between the Ketra lands and the Ice Queen's lands so Komugi could recover. Kylon, lacking warm blood flowing through his veins, became a Popsicle moments after thawing and drying when Komugi would stop, and had to be carried by Broud.

They finally reached the summit of the mountains between lands, and Komugi found herself staring into a frozen labyrinth of snow. She had arrived.

Her rage rekindled as they trudged through knee-deep snow, and it kept her warm as the snow and ice blew onto them. She had taken to traveling with a blanket wrapped around her, not having been adequately prepared for a journey through the cold. She didn't know how the Orcs did it; they were dressed less than she, but barely seemed phased by the cold. Sprissa explained with a smile that it was because they were created by the fire god, and the great flame from which their spirits extended were that which kept them warm. Broud seemed to be angry by this description, and muttered something about Ka'Toleth giving the Ketra immunity to all that which would be against them, which was why they didn't feel the cold.

A blizzard sprung upon them as they wandered through the land, wind and ice blowing so hard into their faces that not even the Orcs could bear it. Kylon had long since frozen, and Broud had tied a rope onto the zombie's leg and dragged him along through the snow like a pet rock.

Komugi felt as if her legs had turned to ice like Kylon's, and they hurt her. She had nothing but her knee boots to guard her legs from the snow, and those had long since gotten wet and frozen themselves. She feared she would be frost bitten to gangrene by the time they reached the Castle. She stopped mid-step as a particularly nasty gust of wind hit her, and a stab of pain went through her leg. Her knees were raw and bleeding from the snow, and she glanced behind herself weakly to find that it had smeared onto the snow and left a perfect trail for anyone to follow.

"I can't…" she choked out before collapsing. Sprissa and Broud had long since trudged ahead, and didn't hear her above the wind. She stared at the snow as more piled upon her, and noted how pretty each and every snowflake that packed together was. _How could the Queen of this wish to be so cruel?_ She wondered, her eyes heavy. _I think I'll nap here for a moment; I'm not so cold when I don't move. I'll catch up to them when my legs stop hurting._ She decided, and relaxed as her eyes shut.

In her dreams she was a child running along a beach, her hand outstretched. She gasped as she ran, letting out tiny sobs of fear as the backs of her mother, father and sister walked ahead of her. They chatted amongst themselves, and Sharmin giggled at something they said.

"Wait for me!" she cried, her tiny legs unable to catch up with them. Her parents suddenly disappeared, and Sharmin began walking alone, her body language one of a person with the weight of a hundred sorrows upon her shoulders. "Sharmin wait, don't go!" Komugi cried, now her proper age. She was coming closer to her, and her hand almost touched her shoulder when suddenly wings sprouted from Sharmin's shoulders like an angels. They flapped once and she took to the air, flying into the sky and out of Komugi's reach. "SHARMIN!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. Sharmin was too far away from her now, in a place where she could never reach. She watched the sky until she could see Sharmin's figure no more, and collapsed to her knees as she cried. She was alone now, on the beautiful beach, with no one to comfort her.

"It's ok, I'm still here." A lightly accented man's voice came. Komugi looked up with a tear streaked face to find a man smiling down at her, holding a hand out to help her stand. The sun shone behind his head, and she couldn't make out his face. The sun behind him grew brighter and brighter until she couldn't look at him anymore, and shielded her face from it.

She opened her eyes slowly and found herself staring at a ceiling of chestnut wood crossbeams. The first thing she discovered was that she was warm; the next was the delightful smell of coffee. She shut her eyes again, wishing to return to her dream. The man had a comforting presence to him, and her heart felt empty now that she was awake and away from him.

"I saw her blink!" Kylon's voice came. Komugi sat up like a rocket then, and stared out with large eyes. She was in a plush bed of Dwarven design, inside of a cabin stacked with books and cargo boxes. She looked around herself without blinking, and found the concerned faces of Kylon and Sprissa standing near the bed. Broud stood in a corner with his arms folded across his chest, not masking the dislike on his face.

"Wonderful! I'm glad to know the medicine wasn't expired after all!" a human gentleman with short brown hair and a beard said.

"Where am I?" Komugi asked as the man handed her a tin cup. The smell emanating from it was undoubtedly coffee, and Komugi took a pensive sip of it.

"My cabin. Its great your friends got you here, you were in pretty bad shape. What ever possessed you to try to cross the Frozen Labyrinth without any type of winter clothing? Now your Orc friends I can understand, they're used to this weather." The man said with a fatherly smile. Kylon was behind him, poking through some of the boxes stacked against the wall. "I'm the Ice Merchant Rafforty; I'm pleased to meet you Miss Komugi." He said, holding his hand out. Komugi found that this man was another she liked, and smiled as she accepted his hand and shook it.

The Ice Merchant's Cabin was a tiny little shack in the center of four, strange pillars of Giant design. A ring of magic surrounded the cabin, everything inside of it the air of summertime. Flowers grew in here, and one tree had leaves that were a brilliant green. Rafforty explained that this was the last bit left of what the Frozen Labyrinth used to look like, before Princess Melissa became the Ice Queen Freya.

Melissa had apparently been sent to a land of eternal summer when her mother, the Elven Queen was betrayed by humans and murdered. No one knew exactly what caused her change into the Ice Queen, but it was common speculation that news of her mother's death had caused it. The only thing that was known was that when the Elf that would eventually become the Captain of the Ice Queen's guard came to the land, it had turned to ice and snow, and Melissa was no more.

Rafforty was part of a resistance that wished to either remove the Ice Queen from her power over the land, or return her to being Melissa. They were a small band of people, and their numbers were dwindling as Freya's magic grew. Apparently the Ice Queen was no longer satisfied with her small patch of land, and was trying to expand her territory and turn all of Elmore into a land of snow. Regardless, the more Komugi heard about Freya, the less she liked her.

After the blizzard ended, Rafforty told them the quickest route through the Labyrinth to the Castle. He stocked them up with provisions, and gave Komugi leggings and a heavy fur coat to keep her warm. She trudged on ahead of the group as Sprissa bid Rafforty a more formal farewell, glaring in annoyance at the sparkling snow around her.

"This Freya thinks she's so great, hah! Couldn't even handle a little grief and had to turn into Miss Frostbite." Komugi grumbled to herself. Kylon walked next to her and raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. Frost was already forming on his face, and he had a hard time blinking. She halted for a second in her pace of walking as the memory of her dance with Zaken sprung unbidden into her mind. Hot tears pricked her eyes and she blinked hard against them. "I'll bet she's a snore to be around too, I mean look at this place, completely lacks imagination."

"Sounds to me like you're jealous." Kylon commented through clenched teeth. His jaw had frozen shut already. Komugi whipped her head around to look down at him, the movement startling him and causing him to jump slightly.

"What kind of person is this Freya? You've met her before, right?" Komugi asked him roughly. "What in the world could Zaken see in a girl like her in the first place? Vampire or no, I'd think kissing her would be hazardous to anyone's health, not to mention the bedroom life."

Kylon thought for a moment and pried his mouth open with his fingers. Ice cracked from the joints and flaked off onto the snow. "She was pretty." He finally said, as if it explained everything. Komugi growled deep in her throat and glared at him, and he held his hands up. "That's all I saw of her, I swear! I never talked to the lady other than her saying 'out of the way, little pig!'" he imitated her voice by making his high pitched, and waved his hand like a diva. "She kicked me a few times too when I'd intrude on her and Zaken's alone time. Not a very pleasant lady to be around."

"See? See?" Komugi exclaimed, her face lighting up. "She's just like Koyori then, nothing good about her!" She hummed merrily to herself and picked up her pace slightly, feeling comforted by this.

"You still like Zaken, don't you?" Kylon asked in wonder. Komugi skidded to a stop quickly and turned a glare colder than the snow around them onto the short zombie. Without warning she smacked his hat from his head as hard as she could, sending it flying. The wind caught it as it was airborne; blowing it back in the direction they had just traveled. "Nooooo!" Kylon cried, racing after it on stiffening legs. She continued onward without him, her good mood now gone sour.

"Of course I don't like Zaken any more, I have Kyosuke now. He's much nicer and a better kisser to boot!' she grumbled. She didn't bother to consider why Kylon's words seemed to make her heart ache, and chalked it up to missing Kyosuke beside her. Freya had caused her plenty of grief enough for her to want to strangle the bitch on her own; it had nothing to do with Zaken, nothing at all.

Komugi skidded to a halt as she realized a figure blocked the path ahead of her. Floating in front of the bridge that would take them into Freya's courtyard, was a woman who resembled an elf only with blue skin and covered in ice. A wind sylph and one of the strange demonic clawed eyeballs that the Giants created floated on either side of her, and she smirked cruelly at Komugi.

"Who is this?" Broud asked as he and Sprissa came up behind her. Kylon had not yet returned from retrieving his hat. The blue elf woman giggled evilly, and flew at them. Komugi drew her dual swords to defend herself with but a gust of icy wind suddenly blew into her face and she shielded herself from it. She lowered her arms slightly to find the ice woman in her face, the same cruel grin plastered across her cheeks.

"Boo." The woman said in an echoing voice. Komugi let out a choked gasp as ice suddenly formed over her entire body. The shock of cold rendered her unconscious immediately.

"Sirra, you overstepped your boundaries, they weren't even near the castle. Perhaps they were just travelers who never intended to harm the Queen!" a voice came, rousing Komugi from darkness. She opened her eyes and blinked as she tried to focus on the blurry figures of a brown-gray creature and the ice woman.

"The Queen herself gave me orders to restrain them, her will is absolute." Sirra, the Ice Fairy, said in her echoing voice. As her eyes focused, Komugi discovered that the brown-gray creature was a large gargoyle, his wings folded peacefully on his back. Komugi attempted to brush her hair, which was wet from being thawed, from her eyes, only to find that her arms didn't move. She blinked in confusion for a moment and then struggled. Her arms up to her elbows and her legs up to her waist were encased in ice. Her arms were pinned shoulder height to the wall she found herself against.

"No, if you freeze her again, she'll die!" the gargoyle said as Sirra flew towards Komugi.

"Let me go!" Komugi shouted, angry at her situation. "Let me at that bitch Freya while we're at it, I have a few words to share with her before I plant my foot in her ass!" The Gargoyle and Fairy looked bewildered by her words, astonished that such a dainty looking human creature could have such a colorful vocabulary.

"Tsk tsk, my such harsh words, your mother would be ashamed to hear you talk like that, I'm sure!" the familiar sing-song voice of Melissa came. Komugi turned her head towards it and found Melissa lounging in an elegant throne made of ice. It was now that Komugi realized she was in a large, circular room made up of crystallized ice stalagmites. She figured this was Melissa's mockery of a throne room, and grunted as she tried to pull her arms free. The Gargoyle and the Fairy backed out of the room without question, bowing respectfully to the Elf.

"My mother would be more appalled at the behavior of a so-called queen more than my language, bitch." Komugi spat. Melissa stared at her evenly for a moment before swinging her legs from where they dangled over the arm of her throne to sit normal. Her form changed as she moved, a dress that appeared to be made out of crystal and ice forming on her body. Ice emerged from her shoulders from which a cape draped from. More ice crystallized in places around her face and up to her hair, forming a strange kind of makeup and crown. Her hair, which had been fluffy, slicked itself back and was covered in frost, as if she had brushed it when wet and then stepped into the cold. Her friendly expression faded, and she stared at Komugi without emotion.

"You know, I've tolerated your little superior attitude for longer than I can stomach." Freya said in a smooth voice, standing. "You really are the nastiest kind of human alive; I can't believe Zaken would have taken an interest in you."

"Funny, I think I said the same thing about you." Komugi retorted, not breaking away from Freya's cold stare. "I'd never demand my exes to pine away over me though, so I think it's obvious which one of us is the better person here." Freya drew in a sharp breath and glided quickly over to Komugi, and slammed an elegantly decorated hand against the wall beside her. Frost began to collect on Komugi in Freya's presence, and she felt her hair freezing.

"All of my lovers are mine alone. I do not share them, I merely let them out to play." She said in a low voice. Her expression did not change, but Komugi could tell she was seething with anger. "And I've let Zaken play with you long enough; you're more annoying than that Wimere was. How DARE you try to change my bloodthirsty beast with your trite countenance? Do you honestly think that there is something human left within him?" Freya lifted her head slightly to let out a curt laugh before putting a finger under Komugi's chin and stare at her directly into her eyes. Ice formed where her finger touched, and Komugi tried not to wince as it spread in veins up her cheeks.

"If Zaken was changing, it had nothing to do with me, it was his own decision." She said with chattering teeth. Freya's mask of calm broke then, and she stared at Komugi in horror, stepping away as if Komugi were suddenly made of fire. She looked to the ground in horrified thought, daintily touching her own chin with her finger.

"Zaken wish to change? Impossible! We immortals are unchanging, we are the ones who will inherit the earth from the gods in the end times!" she said in disbelief. She shut her eyes for a moment, recalling her resolve, and then opened them again to focus on Komugi. "Now that Zaken had withdrawn his protection on you, there is nothing stopping me from killing you, and you must realize I'm going to take full advantage of that." She smirked.

"I figured you'd try." Komugi glowered, narrowing her eyes at her. Freya chuckled darkly and tossed her cape over her shoulder as she returned to her throne and sat. "Where'd you get that?" she gasped as Freya pulled the black bag of slugs that Zaken had given to her, from beside the throne.

"It pains me to see that this carefully concocted magic I received from Triol went to waste on a child like you." Freya said, lifting a slug out and inspecting it as it wriggled in her hand. "Oh well, I'll forgive him of that much, I am a kind lover after all." She lifted the slug up and dropped it into her mouth, swallowing it as if it were a delicacy. Komugi winced and resisted the urge to gag, remembering the texture of the things.

Freya shut her eyes and leaned her back against the chair. Her breath came out evenly as if she were attempting to calm herself for some reason. Her body began to convulse suddenly as if seizuring, and black ooze began seeping out of her nose, mouth, ears and even her tear ducts. It slid down her chest and pooled onto the floor like black oil. Komugi stared at it in horrific wonder, not knowing what to expect next.

The oil began to bubble and churn, and take shape. From the pool rose a featureless, black shadow-being that Komugi instantly identified as being in the shape of Zaken, corsair hat included. She began to struggle as it took slow, uncertain steps towards her, goo dripping from its body as if it were already loosing consistency. Freya laughed as the shadow-being stopped in front of Komugi, and stood elegantly from her throne as if nothing had happened.

"Since you tried so hard to uncover his past, I thought I'd give you a little gift before you died." Freya said. "I applaud your attempt at finding out his truth to 'heal' him, but my dear, Zaken is and always will be what you see him as, from now until the end of time itself. There is no cure for the curses of Giants." She began to laugh again as the shadow-Zaken drew in close to Komugi. Komugi sucked in a frightened gasp and tried to pull away from it, but her room for movement was limited. The shadow-Zaken pressed it's oily, flat face against Komugi's neck, and she screamed as she felt hundreds of tiny little teeth go into her skin in a mockery of Zaken's bite. Her eyes widened and she stiffened as the oil creature lost shape and was sucked into the wound it had made. She struggled at the feel of something cold sliding through her veins, and coughed, the black ooze coming out of her mouth. Her eyes clouded over with black color as she stared in horror at the ceiling of Freya's throne room, which began to fade away. The last thing she remembered before the ooze filled her ears was the sound of Freya's hysterical, triumphant laughter ringing throughout the room.


	10. Chapter 10

Gracia, many years ago.

Komugi floated high above a rich mansion and watched as a young boy, no older than ten, raced around the courtyard. An Ol Mahum, more feminine in appearance then the Ol Mahum that roamed around Aden crouched to the grass with their paws covering their eyes. She was surprised as she heard it speaking an audible tongue, but frowned as it was a language she did not know.

She flew closer in curiosity, and followed after the giggling boy as he raced into the house and searched for a place to hide. He had light blonde hair cut off at his chin, and wore a brown suit that appeared to be a miniature version of an adults. The boy paused in a hallway lined with suits of armor and glanced around worriedly. The Ol Mahum's voice was growing louder as it reached the end of it's counting, and he whimpered in anxiety. His face lit up with a smile as he found a hiding spot behind a curtain that sided a doorway.

He hit a piece of lumber with his elbow as he dashed behind the curtain that shifted slightly. Komugi followed it up and gasped as she realized it was propping up a guillotine blade that sat hidden in the doorframe. The house was booby trapped! She figured it was protection against thieves, but such a harsh, deadly protection!

She peered behind the curtain in worry, scared for his safety over his choice of hiding spots. The boy breathed attempted to control his breathing as he hid, but only managed to breathe louder as the heavy curtain blocked out much of the air from the room. He snickered as he heard the Ol Mahum approach and shifted in excitement. Just as the Ol Mahum reached the doorway, the boy jumped out from behind the curtain with a "Boo!" startling the Ol Mahum. The beast's arm swung out as it turned quickly, hitting the lumber and dislodging it. Komugi turned away with a gasp and shut her eyes quickly as the guillotine blade came down on the beast, a sickening 'SHUCK' sounding through the hallway as it hit the floor. Komugi looked up slowly with a sickened expression to find the boy staring in shock at his friend. She did not dare follow his gaze, as the spatters of blood that decorated the boy's face and clothes were enough for her. Unblinking, he crouched to the ground and lifted something bloody from the floor, staring at it without expression.

"Gayatri? Why'd you drop this? Don't you need it?" he asked in a tiny voice, holding whatever he held out to the mass that had once been alive. Komugi felt bile rise in her throat, and winced her eyes shut again.

"ZAKEN! Don't look!" a woman suddenly cried, and a pretty blonde woman wearing an elegant brown nobility dress flew down the hallway to the boy. She smacked whatever he held from his hands and pulled him away from the mess, covering his head with her arms. "Don't look! Forget you saw it!" she sobbed, rocking him slightly. Behind her, Komugi heard the shouts of the rest of the household as they came racing towards the source of the woman's scream. There were shouts of disgust, and several Ol Mahum servants howled.

"What's the matter with Gayatri? Why won't she wake up?" Zaken asked, his voice muffled. The woman sobbed aloud and just continued to rock the boy Zaken, not responding to him.

Later on that evening, the woman whom Komugi learned was Zaken's elder sister stood outside of his bedroom with an older man, crying daintily into a handkerchief. The older man was Zaken's father, a handsome, distinguished looking gentleman wearing a suit identical to the style Zaken had been wearing. His blonde hair was slicked back, and he had a thick, bushy mustache.

"He doesn't understand, no one has ever told him of death before!" the sister, whose name was Marnin, sobbed. "He thinks Gayatri has to be sent to the repairman to be fixed like our clock was!" she hiccupped once, and wiped her eyes. His father sighed and consulted a pocket watch with a grim expression.

"We'll leave it for now then, we're safe from the turmoil of war here, its best if we let him keep his innocence for as long as possible. If it becomes an issue I'll figure out a way to explain it to him, but for now pretend what you will to explain Gayatri's absence to him." He said, patting Marnin on her shoulder. "He'll be fine, don't worry yourself." Her father said, lifting her face by placing a finger under her chin. "If worse comes to worse, we'll just find an Ol Mahum with similar markings and teach them to be Gayatri. The Ol Mahum learn fast and are obedient, I'm sure he'd be fooled." Marnin smiled lightly at his words, and nodded.

"You're right as always, father. I shouldn't worry so. But poor Gayatri! What a way to die!" she sniffled.

"Yes, it's my fault for letting Zaken play before I had the catch fixed on that thief trap…" her father said, putting an arm over her shoulder and leading her down the hallway.

"This isn't right! Don't just hide it from him!" Komugi shouted after them. She felt sick to her stomach over what she just heard, and it frustrated her that it seemed she was a ghost in this memory world. It was like the bite-dream she had when Zaken fed from her before; she was living his life again. Komugi bit her fingernails in worry, and then flew through the doorway into Zaken's room. She had the properties of a ghost in this world, and could pass through walls as easily as a spirit.

The inside of his room was dark despite it being late afternoon, and toys and books of every imaginable shape and subject lined the walls. Komugi pursed her lips as she glanced at them, and then to the massive king-sized canopy bed in the center of the far wall. Zaken was indeed a very spoiled little boy.

She sat down on the side of his bed to watch him sleep, but found he was wide awake. He laid on his side, staring at the far wall beyond her, his little fist clenching and unclenching as he thought. She felt tears well in her throat at the look of frustrated confusion that passed his face. He was definitely thinking about what had happened, no amount of hiding would change the fact that he'd seen death for the first time.

Zaken's face drew up into one of sadness, and he rolled over onto his other side, letting out a whimpering sob. He slid into crying, and Komugi's heart went out to him. She scooted over farther onto his bed and reached over his shoulder to smooth the hair from his face in a comforting manner. Her fingers went right through him, but she ignored it. Just the act of trying to comfort him helped ease her own heart, even though she knew he was very much alone within himself at that time. She hummed a lullaby her mother used to sing to her. As if he could hear it, Zaken's crying stilled, and he drifted off to sleep with a little hiccup.

The scene suddenly shifted, and Komugi found herself standing at the top of the grand staircase with Zaken, staring down into the foyer of the house. Flickering firelight came through the windows, and Komugi could hear shouts of fighting outside.

"Get him out of here!" Zaken's father shouted, noticing the boy standing at the top of the stairs for the first time. Marnin gathered up her skirts and hurried up the stairs towards him, but got no farther than the middle of the staircase when the front doors burst outwards in a gust of wind. Everyone shielded themselves as the wind blew into the house, knocking over and destroying trinkets and paintings. A tall, thin man with a black mustache, wearing bright silver armor stepped into the house as soon as the wind let up, his hand extended. He lowered it with a dark grin, greedy eyes surveying the room.

"Kill them." He said in a low voice. Oel Malhum, the larger, lion-like cousins of the Ol Mahum, raced in behind him and into the foyer.

"Get Zaken out of here!" his father shouted. An Ol Mahum archer, one of the servants of the house now armed for the battle, jumped off of the post he had taken up on the chandelier over the grand staircase, and grabbed Zaken just as a spear went through his father's chest.

"Let go! Papa! Marnin!" Zaken cried, struggling against the beast-man's grip as it leapt through the air and out an upper window. Marnin screamed as the Oel Malhum converged around her, and the last thing Zaken saw was her dress as it was torn from her body.

The Ol Mahum took him to a tall pine tree and crouched on a branch as high up as he could go, the boy pinned to his lap. He had a paw pressed firmly over Zaken's mouth, and watched as the Oel Malhum sniffed and growled, searching for their trail.

"Stop struggling!" he hissed to his young ward. Thunder rumbled overhead and the Ol Mahum, whose name was Giuseppe, looked up to the sky. "Please." He prayed, shutting his eyes. The Oel Malhum were drawing closer to his tree, and he knew that their senses of smell far exceeded that of his race. They'd be able to pick him out in a second. Thunder rumbled again, and the blessed rain that Giuseppe had prayed for began to fall. The Oel Malhum below grunted in frustration, knowing that the trail would be washed away now. He released his grip on Zaken's mouth when he was sure the Oel Malhum were out of earshot, and the boy bit him as hard as he could on his paw.

"Take me back to my father! He's hurt!" Zaken demanded, kicking his legs.

"Young sir, its best if we go to your aunt's house, your father will follow shortly after." Giuseppe lied. He had been given strict orders to never expose Zaken to death, and he would follow those orders even long after his master was gone. Such was the way of the Ol Mahum.

"Fine, take me there." Zaken said sullenly, giving Giuseppe a skeptical look. "I'm cold and wet, I want out of the rain."

"As you wish." He said reverently, and leapt from the branch.

They arrived too late at his aunt's mansion; the entire house was in flames. Bits of silverware and curtain fabric littered her courtyard, and Giuseppe stepped in Zaken's line of sight before he caught a glimpse of the bodies of the house servants. Zaken stared at the burning house with large eyes, his hair sticking to his face from the rain. Without a word he bolted back in the direction of his home, Giuseppe calling his name behind him.

Normally an Ol Mahum could easily outrun a human child any day of the week, but the combination of the dark and rain made it hard for the archer to track the boy. "Don't go back there." Komugi pleaded with him, gliding alongside him. She was afraid of what he would find when he returned.

Zaken ran with his eyes wide, only shutting them to wince as a branch would smack him in the face. His clothes were torn as he ran blindly through bushes riddled with thorns, and his skin was ripped open with small cuts.

His home was not far from his aunt's house, and he slid in the now muddy courtyard as he tried to stop. His lips parted as he pushed himself to his feet slowly. Lying in the courtyard amongst the bodies of their Ol Mahum servants, was the body of his father, badly mutilated and bloody, and the naked body of his sister.

"Young Master!" Giuseppe shouted, finding him. A fire had broken out somewhere in the back of his house, and the light flickered across the yard, creating a hellish display. Zaken fell to his knees again and clutched the sides of his face in a horrified grimace. He began to scream hysterically, his young voice carrying into the night. He experienced death fully for the first time, and it terrified him.

Komugi was pushed ahead an indiscernible amount of years, and she found herself following a blonde teen as he walked towards a busy harbor. She realized in surprise that it was Zaken, his hair now grown past his shoulders. He was extremely handsome, and she scolded herself silently for her giddy, girlish side's reaction to it. He carried an oblong burlap bag over one shoulder, and wore a slightly worn suit of a white poet shirt, rough brown peasant's pants and a heavy cotton overcoat that drifted down to his knees.

He paused on a hill that overlooked the harbor and gazed out to the large ship that sat at the dock. People crawled all over it like ants, loading cargo and doing last-minute fixes. It took Komugi a moment to realize the ship was set up for war.

"This is it Giuseppe, this is the ship I wish to work on." Zaken said as the Ol Mahum archer came to stand behind him. The beast-man now wore heavy armor and had a sword at his side instead of a bow, and looked more distinguished.

"Are you certain, master? It appears they will be heading straight into the territory war." Giuseppe responded, eyeballing the ship. "You are only fourteen sir, please think of your future." His servant pleaded.

"My future died the day that bastard killed my family." Zaken murmured, shifting the sack on his shoulder.

"Sir?" Giuseppe questioned. Zaken shook his head and faced his servant.

"I release you from your duties as of now, Giuseppe. I must thank you for caring for me these past five years, your clan would be proud of your loyalty." Zaken said, giving Giuseppe a wan smile. Giuseppe bowed deeply in thanks, and then disappeared into the crowd without a word. Drawn out goodbyes was not the Ol Mahum way; when your master no longer needed your service, that was that. You were free to do as you wished. Zaken knew that if he did not dismiss the beast, Giuseppe would wait until his long life was over for Zaken to return and give him an order. Zaken turned back to face the ship, and after taking a breath, shifted his pack once more and trudged down to the harbor.

"Next." The Chief Mate of the _Derech Eretz_ barked, crumpling the rejected application and throwing it behind him. So many weak children and girls in bad disguises had applied to work on the ship that day he was about fed up with it all.

This town was the last one to be untouched by the harsh civil war that had broken out between territories, and the weak and frightened were attempting to escape it by trying to get on his captain's ship. They needed able-bodied people with nothing to loose, not frightened babies; their cargo was going directly through the war to supply the enemy side. His captain prided himself on neutrality, although he kept it a secret from both territories.

"Name." the Chief Mate, whose name was Eldridge, snapped to the next prospective youth.

"Zaken." He said professionally. Eldridge paused just as he had written the 'z', and slowly looked up to the youth with large eyes. Zaken shifted slightly, waiting patiently for him to continue.

"Hah! I know you! You're Luke's whelp! And here I thought you bit it when that war swept through your peaceful little home!" Eldridge laughed. "Serves your father right for not taking up arms to fight with the rest of those who lived in his territory!"

"Sir, please do not speak disrespectfully of my father." Zaken stated in an unusually calm voice.

"Don't you tell me how to talk boy, fallen noble like yourself is lower than a 2-bit broken whore that sits in the pigpen waiting for a customer." Eldridge snapped. Floating next to him, Komugi saw Zaken's hand clench the straps of his bag tighter, but his face did not change. "Sure, you don't even have to go through the proper channels boy, you're a perfect candidate for a deck washer!" he laughed heartily and waved Zaken past. "Just go tell that big man on the cargo ramp that I sent you, he'll put you to work."

"Zaken…" Komugi said, her voice rich with sympathy. What a cruel country Gracia was. She hadn't experienced much of her own country yet, and she wondered if it were just as mean. As far as she could tell the cruel didn't bother with public humiliation, they either killed you or left you injured so that you couldn't come back to exact revenge upon them later. She sighed heavily and followed after him as he made his way to the _Derech Eretz._

Back in reality, Ryonai and Shizuka made their way through the Frozen Labyrinth, chatting merrily as if the air was as warm as a summer's day. Ryonai was there to farm pelts from the beasts in exchange for smithing items needed to build up his clan.

"All set?" Shizuka asked cheerfully, bouncing up to him as he cleaned the blood off his sword from the giant white bear he had just killed.

"Yup, got what I need…ed…" Ryonai's words drifted apart as he glanced at his girlfriend. She grinned happily at him from underneath a gigantic corsair hat that almost swallowed her entire head. "Shizuka, where did you get that?" His eye twitched as he tried not to laugh at how ridiculous she looked.

"That statue over there gave it to me." She said, pointing behind her. Poised in the act of running with his arms outstretched, was a frozen Kylon. His head was tilted back and his mouth was open, his hat having landed in his hands just moments before he froze solid.

"Hey, it's that zombie guy from the Outpost!" Ryonai said in surprise, circling around him. He tilted his head as a whining noise came from Kylon's frozen mouth. "Hey, I think its making noise, you think it's still alive?" he whispered, leaning his head in close.

"What's it saying?" Shizuka asked in a loud whisper, leaning near Ryonai as well.

"Give…me…..back….my…hat." Ryonai repeated, concentrating hard.

"Aww poor little guy, let's take him back to the Ice Merchant's cabin so he can get warmed up!" Shizuka said, tears of sympathy welling in her eyes. Kylon let out a whine of approval at her suggestion.

"Shizuka, he's a zombie, he'll probably eat our brains or something the minute he defrosts." Ryonai grimaced, shifting his armor before stepping away from him. Kylon let out an angry whine with this.

"Oh no, I never thought of that!" Shizuka exclaimed, putting her hands on her cheeks in surprise. "I guess we should hurry on our way then!" Kylon let out another angry whine as she took Ryonai's hand and walked away. The whining grew louder as Kylon attempted to scream for them to come back, but the couple returned to their conversation and could no longer hear him. There was a moment of silence, and then Kylon let out a noise that sounded like "nhuk."


	11. Chapter 11

Gracia-on the Derech Eretz

The ship cast off the day after Zaken became employed on it. Finding that his muscles were too weak to be of any good in the cargo hold, he was put to work as a cleaner, along with two other sickly looking youths. One was a tall, skinny boy with long, curly brown hair and a square chin, the other was a short, squat boy with a round face and short, spiked thin orange hair. They went by the names Tillion and Kylon.

"Captain on deck!" Eldridge shouted not long after casting off. Zaken, Tillion and Kylon looked up from the tasks they'd been given as the senior crew mates stood at attention. The captain strolled out from his quarters with his arms folded behind his back like an army general, and gazed around at his crew with an air of haughty authority.

Tillion and Kylon glanced at Zaken as he dropped the mop he'd been using. It smacked the deck loudly, causing a few senior crew mates to glare at him. "It's him!" Zaken hissed under his breath. He still remembered the night his father and sister were killed in stunning clarity, and the very man that had lead the attack on them was strolling across the deck! Zaken's laugh began softly and then slowly crescendoed as he realized the irony of it all.

"What is that? Who's laughing?" The captain's voice barked, glancing amongst his crew. They all slowly turned to glare at Zaken, and Tillion and Kylon attempted to hush him. A younger, clean-shaven version of the captain stepped out from behind him, glaring at Zaken.

"I think he means to disrespect us, father." the teen, whose name was Mordecai stated. The captain took quick, measured steps towards Zaken, his son following close behind. Tillion and Kylon backed away with large eyes as the captain stopped in front of them.

"You, dog! What is your name? How dare you laugh in my presence when it is an honor for you to be aboard my ship!" the captain snapped. When Zaken continued to laugh, the captain's son growled and grabbed a handful of Zaken's hair, pulling him backwards roughly.

"Answer him, worm!" Mordecai snarled, shaking Zaken roughly. Anger instantly lit in Zaken's expression, and he swung his arms around to grab the captain's son by the back of the neck. The hold was reversed, and Zaken flipped him onto his back. Before anyone could react, Zaken then smoothly lifted Mordecai and slammed him against the railing of the ship, pinning and pressing on his neck with his forearm.

"Release him!" the captain shouted, and there was a flurry of movement as sailors and the captain attempted to pull Zaken from Mordecai. Tillion and Kylon stood to the side and watched the scene dumbly, too shocked by Zaken's sudden hostility to do anything. Zaken was stronger than he looked, and not even the group of men that shouted and tugged on his arms could pull him off of the purpling teen.

"Zaken, you're going to kill him!" Komugi cried uselessly. The look of hateful rage on his face both pained her heart and frightened her to the spot. Mordecai gasped for air and his arms flopped uselessly as he tried to struggle. Zaken's hair was pulled, his clothes were nearly tugged apart by the seams, his arms were jerked, but nothing could budge him.

Relief for Mordecai finally came when Eldridge pushed his way through the crowd to Zaken and smacked him on the back of the head with a bully stick. Zaken's rage turned to surprise, and he fell forward onto Mordecai. He was jerked off of the boy a second later and pulled into the gathered crowd of sailors, who began to kick and beat him.

"Eldridge, who is that boy? How dare you let such a deranged beast upon my ship!" the captain snapped, kneeling next to his son who coughed and rubbed his throat.

"Nobody, Captain Ranen, sir. Just some poor fool I pulled off the street and let on the ship." He grabbed Zaken from the middle of the circle of sailors that continued to beat him, pulling the boy across the deck. Zaken coughed once as he was relieved from the pummeling. Both of his eyes had been blackened, and blood poured from his nose and mouth. "He seemed like a good candidate to be on the ship in comparison to all of the whelps with families that tried to apply, but I see he's a little too dangerous. I'll take full responsibility for this, sir." Eldridge bowed respectfully to Ranen and Mordecai before dragging Zaken across the deck by his arm. Sailors spat on him as he was pulled past them and down into the brig.

"I don't want him on the ship, father." Mordecai rasped as Ranen helped him to his feet. "He'll kill us both if we don't toss him overboard now." Ranen said nothing, his jaw clenched tightly as he stared at the open trapdoor leading into the brig. There was something familiar about that youth, something that made him feel that his son's suggestion was wise. However, they needed expendable youth, and so long as Eldridge could keep the boy under control, they could use him.

"Listen here, boy." Eldridge snapped in a husky voice. He swung Zaken roughly around his body and tossed him into a cell. "You'll stay down here and cool your head, but know that I let you on this ship for one reason, and one reason alone." He crouched down as Zaken weakly opened his swollen eyes to stare at him. "That Captain up there…he has lost sight of loyalty and seeks only to pad his pockets. This ship is fully suited for battle, but he uses it only to deal in supplies and slaves. I know the captain was the one that killed your family; I was there with him when that Ol Mahum took off with you." Zaken raised his head slowly, a dim memory of Eldridge standing in the courtyard, watching Giuseppe fly overhead after leaping through the upper window with him flashing through his head. "Let me tell you, that attack wasn't over the territory, Ranen just wanted to snag some supplies and slaves before the war did get to you. Sad to say, your sister wasn't a virgin when Ranen's Oel Malhum went to check her out, otherwise she'd probably still be alive. A great beauty she was, pity she couldn't keep her legs closed." Komugi, sitting beside Zaken in the cell, could see his jaw clench as his rage began to build again. Eldridge didn't notice, and continued. "So keep your head low for now boy, and you'll get your chance to kill of that idiot of a captain and his spoiled bastard of a son." Eldridge flashed him a dark, toothy grin as he stood, and locked the brig cell. "I'll be down to get you again in a few days; don't die from internal bleeding or anything until then." He turned and walked towards the ladder leading above deck with a dark chuckle.

Zaken was silent for a moment, and then he took the pan meant for relieving oneself in and threw it against the bars with a loud shout. He threw himself at the bars next, and gripped them with both hands and shook them like a chained beast, shouting in anger in frustration. He flung himself to the ground and beat on it until his fists were raw and bloody, like a child throwing a tantrum. Komugi shut her eyes and looked away, unable to stand watching him when she couldn't do anything for him. A lump rose in her throat and she swallowed against it.

"You are sad, I am sorry." A deep voice came as soon as Zaken's voice gave out from his yelling. He lifted his head quickly, looking to the cell across from him. A huge hulking shadow sat just out of view, and Komugi could hear a chain jingling as it shifted. "Krantz understands, was sad too when got put down here." Komugi's lips parted in surprise at his words, relieved beyond delight to know that Krantz was there.

Zaken was silent for a bit as he pushed himself up to sit, then moved to the front of the cage to see better. "You said your name was Krantz?" he asked, his voice raw. "Why are you being held here, when we just cast off?"

"Got a bad temper." Krantz said sadly. "Like puppies and kittens, but end up crushing their heads when they bite." He sighed heavily and shifted. Komugi could make out brown hair on the top of his head, but his features remained hidden. "Cap'n found out about Great Grandpa. Lesser Giant. So instead of being tossed overboard when Krantz broke the cabin boy from before, got put down here. Get let out when Cap'n thinks someone will try and kill him…but…" he sighed heavily again. "Krantz likes soft things, but like killing things too, makes for sad."

"How sad for you, Krantz." Zaken said, leaning against the bars again. "I'm beginning to see that this Captain Ranen knows nothing about running a proper ship as well. Ships such as this should be used for things that are not ferrying about cargo; it's a waste of this ship's design."

"Then take it over yourself, and name yourself captain if you think you can do it better." A new voice came. Zaken's head lifted quickly at the sound, and Tillion and Kylon came into view. "You sound like you're talking big there, your first day on this ship and already acting like you know it all." Tillion stated, folding his arms across his chest and leaning against the bars of the cell.

"Just be thankful you don't have to go through that awful territory war." Kylon shivered, hugging himself.

"I do know it all." Zaken said seriously, without blinking. "My father was a naval man himself when he was younger; I've been taught since birth the mechanics of a ship. This one is not being used as it was intended." Tillion scoffed and tossed his curly hair from his face.

"Do tell." He said, rolling his eyes. "I don't see how you're in a position to be stuck up about this though; you're going to be targeted by everyone now. Probably knifed in your sleep as soon as you get out." When Zaken didn't respond to his haughty comment, he narrowed his eyes at him. "And what is this ship made for, if it isn't for a safe cargo delivery?"

Zaken stood and glanced about the brig with calculating eyes. "Piracy." He said simply while staring at the crossbeams.

"Aren't we being pirates by supplying both sides with cargo?" Kylon asked curiously, staring at the same crossbeam Zaken was focused on. The blonde scoffed and began wiping at the dried blood on his face.

"If this is piracy, then it is the cowardly sort. People are supposed to fear Pirates, and know their names, not think they're dealing with a black market merchant." Zaken stated simply. "I've never run a ship myself, but I think I could be a much better pirate than anyone on the ship now."

"Oh really." Tillion said icily. "Fine then _Captain_, prove it." Zaken blinked and stared at him without expression, as if he finally realized the hostility apparent in Tillion's tone.

"Name your terms, and I will." Zaken said seriously.

"You can't be serious!" Kylon sputtered, taking a step away from the cell. Tillion narrowed his eyes and then scoffed again.

"Wow, you really are full of yourself, aren't you?" he laughed shortly.

"If that is what you view me as then yes, I am." Zaken said simply. Tillion clenched his fists in rage and whipped around to face the cell. It occurred to Komugi that if Zaken had been within reach, he would've tried to punch him. He backed away from the cell bars after a moment with a soft growl.

"Three months." He spat. "If you can manage to pull off a successful mutiny in three months, then I'll admit you know your stuff and…." He glanced around the brig, his eyes landing on Krantz. "…and I'd eat whatever that guy's crapshoot releases. But if you can't form a successful mutiny, you'll have to bang the first disease-ridden toothless whore we find on land, and eat that guy's crapshoot deposit."

"Nice." Komugi said flatly, lowering her eyelids at him in disgust.

"Oh, that's not very tasty, trust me." Krantz said, shifting again.

"Bon appetite." Zaken said, and grinned darkly. Komugi stared at them in disbelief as they shook hands, sealing the agreement. Kylon appeared to be just as disgusted as she.

"You guys are disgusting." she groaned, turning away from them.

In reality, Ryonai and Shizuka continued to make their way through the Frozen Labyrinth. "Halt!" a voice rang out across the snow. They paused in their conversation to find a light elf wearing brown leather armor and a blue tunic blocking their path onto a bridge. "None may enter the Ice Queen's Castle without a proper request for audience. Turn around now." He commanded in a stern voice.

"Aww, but we're not hurting anything, just killing a few bears!" Shizuka whined, pouting at the man. She still wore Kylon's corsair hat, and it killed any effects her pouting once had on others.

"What!" the man exclaimed, his hands clenching into fists. "You're defiling Queen Freya's pristine white lands with blood?"

"Come on Shizuka." Ryonai said through clenched teeth as he grinned sheepishly at the Steward. He took Shizuka by her arm and guided her back in the direction they had just traveled. "We don't tell official people like that about what we're doing." He continued, cheesily waving at the Steward who watched them go with a look of horror.

"But that Rafforty guy didn't care, and he was official looking!" Shizuka pouted. Ryonai sighed heavily and put a hand to his forehead. He loved Shizuka dearly, but sometimes her ditziness was too much, even for him.

"Rafforty wasn't obviously part of the Ice Queen's guard." Ryonai said, suddenly feeling tired.

"Oh, how sad!" Shizuka said, her voice suddenly thick with tears.

"I don't think Rafforty cares, no reason to feel sorry for him." Ryonai said.

"No, not Rafforty, that statue up there! It's so sweet and sad!" Shizuka sniffled. Ryonai followed her hand as she pointed, his eyes widening. Upon a ledge not far above them, was the 'statue' of two Orcs cowering in fear. One was a female Orc with a veil on her face and the other was a male, frozen in the act of trying to shield the girl from some unseen threat.

"Sprissa!" Ryonai exclaimed, recognizing the woman Orc to be his traveling companion from long ago.

Zaken was released from the brig a couple of days after he'd been put down there. He had come down with a fever from his injuries, but was forced to work on deck anyway. Impressed by how well he did despite his sickness, Kylon would act as a nurse to Zaken at night when his shift was through.

As predicted, Zaken received much scorn the first two weeks after his attack on Mordecai. Many of the crew members went out of their way to find subtle methods of further injuring the teen, but their harsh bullying petered out when he did not respond to it.

Tillion's own haughtiness grew as Zaken appeared to not be making any headway with his plans of mutiny. When they'd go ashore, he'd loudly point out every diseased prostitute they passed, asking Zaken if he found them pretty. The whore would then take up following after the boys, calling out phrases that were a poor attempt at being seductive. Kylon always would look terrified by them, but Zaken would go about his duties and treat them as if they were common townswomen, not broken whores at all.

This began to earn a name for him on the land amongst the older prostitutes as a gentleman who treated even disgusting lumps of flesh like themselves as ladies. The crew of the _Derech Eretz_ was welcomed then to use many of the broken prostitute's brothels as a place to rest while they were docked. None of the sailors dared to bed any of the women there, but their cooking and lodgings were a welcome relief from the hammocks and hardtack they ate while on the ship.

"Ah, look at her, wonder who she's visiting." Perry, one of the crewmates said one afternoon. He and an Elf named Alvar stood on deck, rolling up a heavy mast rope. Down below, a pretty young Dark Elf noblewoman wearing a richly embroidered dress with steel gray hair piled high on her head walked toward the ship. Dark Elves were a rarer sight in Gracia, as most were content to hide underground. The woman had a courier following her, carrying a bag piled to the brim with food.

"Wow, it looks like the Captain really was happy with how fast we got the last shipment of cargo to its destination." Zaken commented, stopping near the railing to gaze at the woman. "It appears he's gotten us a real lady to cook us dinner tonight." Perry and Alvar stopped what they were doing to stare at Zaken silently. The youth moved away from the railing without a word and over to Kylon and Tillion as they carried buckets of soapy water out onto the deck.

"Mmm, who's that?" a gruffer sailor who went by the name of Beryl asked in a lust-filled voice. The Dark Elf woman paused at the cargo ramp and turned to scold her courier as he stepped on the train of her dress.

"Captain brought us a lady to cook us dinner!" Alvar exclaimed, a smile breaking out on his face.

"Hey, we don't know that for sure!" Perry hissed at him.

"Isn't that a pretty sight?" Beryl said distractedly, moving away from the railing. He slid down to another crew mate who had been eyeballing the Dark Elf with equal lust and shared this info with him. The rumor quickly spread, and soon the entire crew began to shift in anticipation of a dinner cooked by a beautiful Dark Elf lady.

"Maybe she'll give us a little show too!" a crewmate guffawed later on that night in the galley as they waited for their dinner.

"You think their nipples are pink or gray?" another asked, turning to Tillion. He paused as he realized he'd spoken to the deck scrubber, and then glanced at the wide-eyed stare Kylon gave him and the aloof disinterest of Zaken. "Ah that's right, you boys are probably virgins." The crewmate sniggered, and then turned away.

"I'm sorry." Kylon whimpered. Tillion smacked him on the back of his head with an annoyed glare.

"Where the hell did they get the idea that a Dark Elf noble was going to cook us dinner?" Tillion asked Zaken. He shrugged and turned in his seat as Teman, the surly, sweat stained galley chef, limped out with a large stewpot and set it heavily on the end of the long table the crew sat at.

"Come 'n get it!" he bellowed. There was a moment of stunned silence and then the entire galley erupted into shouts of protest.

"HEY! What's going on in here?" Eldridge's sharp voice shouted over the noise.

"Where's our Dark Elf noble dinner?" Beryl demanded angrily as the volume of shouts decreased slightly.

"Yeah! We were promised a dinner cooked by a pretty lady for our hard work!" another chimed in. There were shouts of agreement with this.

"Dark Elf noble dinner? What in the name of the great deep are you people talking about?" Eldridge demanded, clanging on the stewpot as the shouts began anew. "Half of the cargo the Captain had brought was broken because of you men's negligence with loading it. Speedy time or not, you cost him several hundred graces, why in the gods name would we reward you?" he snarled. "Now eat your stew and get back to work, Captain wants to cast off early tomorrow morning!" He turned his back on the eruption of anger and stalked out the galley through the captain's door.  
"Hey, Zaken!" Kylon exclaimed as Zaken silently stood up and left the table. He and Tillion slid out as the crew in the galley began fighting each other to relieve their disappointment and followed Zaken out onto the deck.

"Where in the world did they get that idea?" Tillion repeated as soon as they were above.

"Captain Ranen bought a high-class Dark Elf whore for his son and a meal to match her price. I overheard him saying how he was ashamed his son hadn't had a woman yet." Zaken said lightly, walking to the forecastle deck and leaning on the railing. "I guess the men saw it and got the wrong idea."

"You liar, you spread that rumor!" Tillion snapped, stomping a challenging foot forward. "Don't think that making the crew angry enough to kill you is going to get you out of our deal!" he added. Zaken didn't respond and pulled a small ocarina from his pocket. He lifted it to his lips and began to play a melody that sounded clearly over the crash of the waves. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" Tillion shouted.

"Look at that!" Kylon breathed, pointing. Women wearing tattered clothing began to pull themselves up on the docks from the water, and stood gazing up at the ship shyly. "It's those broken whores you keep teasing Zaken about!" he exclaimed, recognizing the pock-marked, gaping-toothed faces immediately.

Zaken lifted the ocarina to his lips again and played two notes. The women on the dock responded by suddenly breaking into a wavering melody. Tillion and Kylon raced to the railing and watched in shock as the broken, diseased appearance of the whores shed away like an extra skin, falling to the dock along with their tattered clothes. In their place stood creatures of such beauty and exquisiteness, even Kylon who was perpetually afraid of anything female, felt himself growing weak in their presence.

"Sirens!" Tillion breathed in awe and fear. "How did you know?" he asked, staring at Zaken with large eyes. The Siren's song carried into the noisy galley even, and crew mates began to slowly empty out onto the deck curiously. As they did, the Sirens flew up to the ship like angels, and landed gracefully in front of the men. Before the bewildered men could speak, they were embraced and kissed lovingly, as if the men where the siren's true loves.

"Tillion my friend, the common seafaring man desires but three things in his life." Zaken began, putting the ocarina back into his pocket and stepping up onto the deck over the captain's quarters. "Comfort in the form of food, warmth or a bed companion, money and fame." He sat on the deck and grinned at them roguishly. "Please, be my guest." He said, holding his hand out as three Sirens landed gracefully on the upper deck with them. A tall, slender one knelt beside Kylon and began stroking his hair, causing the shorter boy's eyes to roll into his head. He let out a gurgling groan, his leg shaking like a dog's.

Komugi, fully eaten by jealousy as a pretty Siren pressed herself against Zaken, turned away and stared out over the ocean. "I'd like to move ahead, thank you." She said to no one in particular, not enjoying this part of Zaken's memory. "God men are disgusting." She said distastefully. "Think outside of your pants for once!" she shouted as Kylon fell over near her. Of course, she went unheard, and sighed in disgust.

No one seemed to realize that it had been Zaken who summoned the Sirens; by the way they continued to treat him. Tillion began to breathe easy again; comforted by the fact that Zaken was still at square one in forming his mutiny.

Within the week of casting off again, a great storm hit the ship. The crew raced across the wet, slippery deck trying to secure the masts, great waves of water hitting them. Kylon clung to the main mast, holding on for dear life as the ship was tossed to and fro. Zaken raced about with the rest of the crew, securing tethers and working to re-tie the knots holding the sails.

"Tie that, I'll hold it!" Beryl shouted to Zaken as the teen steadied himself with another toss of the ship. He nodded; rain and seawater pouring down his face too much for him to speak. The rope kept slipping around the metal notch he was attempting to tie it around, and he clenched his jaw in frustration. Another great wave hit the ship, and Beryl shouted as he was flung over the railing.

"Man overboard!" Alvar shouted from the crows nest.

"Leave him! Focus on getting the sails secure! Captain needs to get his cargo to the destination!" Eldridge shouted.

"Where is the captain? Why isn't he out here?" Perry demanded over the crash of thunder.

"The captain is our only way of negotiating; he needs to remain safe no matter what!" Eldridge snapped. "HEY! What are you doing?" he shouted as Zaken dashed below the deck to the brig. He slid across the deck and dropped down in time to see Zaken fumbling with the set of keys that usually hung near the ladder.

"Krantz my large friend, I need your assistance." Zaken said in a hurry, cramming an iron key into the lock on his cell door and flinging it open.

"Gotta kill?" Krantz asked, his voice a mixture of sadness and hope.

"Quite the contrary, we're going to help someone live for once." He grinned. Krantz's large face seemed to light up with this thought, and he pushed himself to his feet. "Hurry now, I know you're stiff, but you're the only one who can help me!" Zaken urged. Eldridge let out a frightened noise as the 12-foot tall, Lesser Giant's grandchild stomped past him. He was so big he didn't need to use the ladder onto the deck, he merely lifted himself up.

"Beryl!" Perry shouted over the side of the railing. He ducked down as a wave of water crashed over him. "He's still out there! He's holding on to some tether rope!"

"I said leave him!" Eldridge snapped, emerging from the brig. He grabbed Zaken's arm as the teen was tying rope around his waist. "I don't know what you have planned by releasing that beast right now, but if you're going to try and take over this ship while we're in this time of chaos…"

"If that was my intention, I would've told Krantz that yes, we were killing people, not the opposite." Zaken retorted, jerking his arm from Eldridge's grasp. He handed the end of the heavy rope to Krantz as soon as he made sure his knot wouldn't pull free. "Hold onto that Krantz and don't let go. As soon as you see me grab the man floating out there, you pull me back in, alright?" Krantz nodded, and wrapped the rope once around his large wrist.

"Man overboard!" Alvar shouted again as Zaken dove gracefully over the railing.

"What the hell is he thinking?" Tillion shouted as he joined Perry at the railing. The two of them grabbed onto the railing as another wave of water crashed over the side.

"You're holding us up, let go of that!" Eldridge shouted, trying to tug the rope from Krantz's grasp.

"Zaken friend, won't let go!' Krantz said, not budging.

"You will obey me you mindless brute!" Eldridge screeched hysterically. He pulled a whip from his belt and began to lash it across the giant's shoulders. Deep scores were opened up in his tanned skin, but he didn't release the rope. The ship was tossed into the air as it hit a particularly large wave, and everyone on the deck was knocked off their feet, except Krantz. Eldridge growled and stood, humiliated as well as angry, and lifted his whip again. There was a clang as a coal shovel suddenly connected with the back of Eldridge's head, and the man grinned dumbly before crumpling into a heap. Kylon looked down at him with an apologetic expression, the shovel gripped firmly in his hand. He lifted up the end of the rope that still dangled on the deck. Krantz's face showed strain as he held onto the rope, the current carrying Zaken far under the water. He'd pull when Zaken would disappear below the crashing waves, helping the teen resurface.

"Tillion, come on and help!" Kylon shouted, holding out some more of the rope to his friend. Tillion turned away and pretended to be re-securing the sail rope on the opposite end of the ship. Perry slid towards Kylon and took the rope instead, and pulled as hard as he could when Krantz did.

Out in the water, Zaken coughed as rain hit him in the face. He swam as hard as he could, Beryl clinging to a piece of lumber that had broken off of the ship. Another wave hit him, and he was sucked underneath the waves once more, the current trying to pull him down. He was jerked roughly this time as the people holding onto his rope helped him back up, and the ocarina slid from his pocket in the movement. Zaken's eyes widened underwater and he groped for it, but he was unable to fight against both the strong pulling on his rope, and the current of water. He watched helplessly as the Siren's ocarina sunk deep under the water before swimming back up to the surface.

He broke the water near Beryl, and latched onto the larger man. Beryl clung to the lumber for dear life, but was unconscious from stress. Zaken lifted the end of rope that he had left dangling from his knot, and wrapped it around the man's waist. He ducked his head down as another wave crashed over him, nearly loosing his grip. Shaking his head to clear the water-soaked hair from his face, he finished securing the rope around Beryl's waist, and then turned towards the ship and waved as hard as he could.

"He's got him!" Perry shouted. More crew abandoned their posts and rushed over to grab on to what was left of the rope. "Alright men, heave!" Perry commanded. They all pulled at the same time, the rope going taut. Not as tall as the other men, Kylon kicked his feet as he was lifted off of the deck as the rest of the crew raced over to help. The ship began to tilt as Krantz pulled the strength of the water that wished to keep the two men who had fallen victim to it just as strong as the Lesser Giant's grandson. Tillion grabbed onto the railing on the opposite side of the ship and clung on for dear life, ropes, boxes and other supplies sliding over onto Krantz's side. Still unconscious, Eldridge slid with it, and added to the debris lining the side of the ship.

"What in heavens name is going on out here?" Ranen shouted, emerging from the Captain's quarters just as the ship began to tilt. He grabbed onto his doorframe to support himself, his eyes large. "Who let Krantz out of the brig?" he demanded. No one answered him, too intent on pulling their two wayward crew mates from the sea.

Zaken and Beryl were pulled back on the deck after a moment's struggling, and the crew holding onto the rope collapsed in an exhausted heap. Zaken, on all fours, coughed the seawater from his lungs before collapsing onto his side and rolling onto his back. Beryl lay on his stomach next to him, coughing himself.

"Storm's clearing!" Alvar shouted wearily. Indeed, it was like the sea was pleased with Zaken's bravery, and the ship's rocking ceased as they sailed out of the dark clouds and into a red-orange sunset. The crew cheered and surrounded Zaken and Beryl, patting the teen on the shoulders for a job well done. Zaken merely smiled weakly and panted, trying to regain his senses. Outside of the crowd, Tillion scowled darkly as he wrung out his hair.

"That was kind of fun, actually!" Kylon exclaimed, walking over to him.

"Shut up, midget." Tillion grumbled. Kylon's face turned red and his hands clenched at his sides.

"Don't call me a midget!" he cried, swinging his fists. Tillion put a hand on the shorter boy's forehead, planting him in place. His arms were short like his legs, and he swung uselessly, trying to clip Tillion. The taller boy stared in deep thought, watching as the crew lifted Zaken up and carried him below deck. He had to do something, or Zaken's mutiny would succeed at this rate…

"Can you do something for them?" Ryonai panted and leaned heavily on the raised arm of the ice-statue Orc. He'd dragged both Sprissa and Broud's statues back to Rafforty, who circled them with a pensive expression.

"Were these the only two there?" the older man asked, worry creasing his forehead.

"Other than the nice Zombie that gave me his hat, yep!" Shizuka replied happily, putting her hands on the corsair hat and twirling with it.

"Shizuka, please take that off already." Ryonai pleaded. He was wearier from resisting the urge to laugh at her more than he was carrying the heavy Orcs back to Rafforty, and couldn't handle it anymore.

"But I like it." Shizuka sniffled, sticking her lower lip out at Ryonai. He sighed in defeat and sat heavily on the floor of Rafforty's cabin.

"Wait, why do you ask?" Ryonai questioned Rafforty, realizing what the man had asked. Rafforty was silent for a moment as he dug two crystal vials from the cargo boxes lining his walls.

"There was the cutest little rose-haired girl with these two a day ago. They stayed here a couple of days because the poor girl was half dead from the cold." Rafforty responded, opening the vial and pouring the contents over Sprissa's head. Slowly, the ice began to melt from her hair with a crackling noise, and Rafforty did the same to Broud. "Delightful little spitfire that Komugi, I hope she got away from the Ice Queen, unlike these two."

"Komugi?" Ryonai responded, standing up quickly.

"You know her?" Rafforty asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Where was she going, did she say?" Ryonai asked quickly, ignoring Rafforty's question. Shizuka's face darkened slightly behind Ryonai, but it was hard to say if it was emotional or because the hat slid down over her eyes. Rafforty opened his mouth to respond, but the group was interrupted as Sprissa gasped loudly.

"Where am I?" she demanded with large eyes. Her voice had a hysterical edge, and she looked around the cabin, confused. Broud's face became free next, and he gasped as well before roaring in anger. Rafforty backed away as Broud began to struggle underneath the ice.

"Let me at that bitch, I'll rip her heart out!" Broud shouted, the ice cracking as he moved.

"Wait until the potion melts you, otherwise you'll break your own arms off!" Rafforty exclaimed, watching in worry as the cracks in Broud's arms began to bleed. With only a look from Ryonai, Shizuka quickly cast a sleep spell upon the large Orc, and his struggling stilled.

"Sprissa, what happened? Where's Komugi?" Ryonai asked, kneeling beside her as she fell onto her side, shivering. Rafforty pulled a heavy fur pelt from another box and covered her with it.

"Ice Queen's guard took us…got separated." Sprissa managed to get out despite her chattering teeth. "Gargoyle said…Freya wanted to see Komugi separate." Ryonai stared at her without expression for a moment before standing and adjusting his gloves.

"Mr. Rafforty, keep an eye on them, would you?" Ryonai asked politely as Shizuka handed him his travel pack.

"Sure but…what will you do?" Rafforty asked with large eyes.

"Got some ice to pick." Ryonai glowered, shouldering his pack and walking out of the cabin without a word. Shizuka trotted after him with a bright smile, as if they were leaving for a picnic, leaving a bewildered Rafforty with two thawing Orcs in the middle of his cabin.


	12. Chapter 12

Gracia, several days after the storm, aboard the Derech Eretz.

"Where is he? He will not sleep through his shift another day!" Eldridge shouted, walking down into the crew's cabin. Beryl, Perry and Alvar stepped in his path, blocking it. They gazed at the Chief Mate with narrowed eyes, their arms folded across their chests. "Out of the way, dogs! This ship is not here to be that boy's pleasure cruise!"

"Tell me Eldridge, did I hear correctly that you told them to leave me when I fell overboard?" Beryl asked, lifting himself to his full height. Eldridge opened his mouth to speak, but then snapped it shut again as Beryl flexed one bulging arm. "The boy did more that day than anyone else on the ship combined; he gets to rest until his strength returns." Beryl growled. "Unless the Chief Mate has a problem with that?" Perry and Alvar leaned in close to Eldridge, their eyes narrowed into glares as well. Eldridge turned quickly and stalked out of the crew's cabin without a word and back up to the deck.

"Chief mate, a word if you will." Tillion called, drawing Eldridge's attention. "It's about Zaken, sir." He added. Eldridge paused and glanced at him, then slipped into the storage room from where Tillion called him from.

Back in the crew's cabin, Beryl, Alvar and Perry sat at the table speaking in low voices. "And where was the captain during that dilemma? Where was his son even, the self-proclaimed Cabin Boy of the ship? Sleeping! Can you believe that?" Alvar whispered angrily.

"We're out there practically drowning, and the captain is all snuggled under the covers getting his beauty sleep." Perry said bitterly, shaking his head. "I still don't believe that cargo was broken that day the Dark Elf noble girl came to the ship; the captain just didn't want to share!"

"Aye, but we got the better in the end." Alvar said, his eyes glazing over in memory.

"If you ask me…" Beryl began, leaning in close. "That boy on the hammock back there has been proving himself to be a much better leader than anyone else on the ship. We've been downright brutes to the boy, but he's come along and shown us how to do things with a comment here and there. I'd much rather be a mate on a ship he commands more than under those cowards." Alvar and Perry nodded in agreement.

"Unlike those other two kids that follow him around too, he's right out there doing a man's work. What is he, fourteen, fifteen? That takes balls for someone as spindly as him!" Perry complimented.

The men continued their talk, comparing Zaken's previously unnoticed actions against Eldridge, the Captain's and Mordecai's performance. Over on the hammock, Zaken slowly raised a hand to rub his face as he sighed deeply. Underneath his hand, it almost seemed that his expression was one of satisfaction…

Zaken emerged from the crew's cabin a few hours later to relieve himself. He froze right before the ladder as Eldridge's angry figure came into view leaning against it. Nodding slightly in mock respect, he stepped around him and reached for a rung, only to have a dagger embed itself scant inches from his hand in the wood of the ladder. Eyes large, Zaken slowly turned his head to stare at the Chief Mate, who openly seethed.

"Don't think I don't know what you're up to, boy." Eldridge began in a measured tone. "Gaining the men's favor like you've been doing…I know you're planning a mutiny!" Zaken said nothing, his face a mask that gave away no emotion. "Now you listen to me, I let you on this ship so you could avenge your family by killing Ranen, not to take over the ship yourself! I've earned the right to be captain, not a runt like you, who still stinks of breast milk! I'm going to be captain, me!" Eldridge thumped his chest to accentuate his words. He pushed Zaken roughly away from the ladder and climbed it. "You just watch yourself boy, or I might have to remind the captain that a certain little boy got away that night he attacked that lovely country mansion almost six years ago."

Later on that night, Eldridge stumbled across the deck with a drunken grin on his face. He had just taken dinner with the captain and Mordecai, and had more than his fair share of the wine. Pleased with his excellent work commanding the sailors, Ranen had bought him a nearly top-notch whore to accompany the top-notch whore he procured for his son and himself. Needless to say, Eldridge was in a good mood, and saw nothing but the stars in the sky and the moon shining down.

This would be unfortunate for him however, because if he had focused on the top deck he would've seen the shadowy figure seated there. He would've noticed the noose the figure held in his hand, and would've been able to react when said noose went around his neck.

"I'll get you for this boy!" he rasped as Zaken dragged him across the deck towards the railing. He choked and grabbed at the rope that bit tightly into his skin. They were docked at the harbor that evening, and everyone had gone to town for a leisurely night. No one saw as Zaken tied Eldridge's feet together and hooked a heavy weight onto it. He lifted the man up roughly by the rope around his neck, and brought his face close to his mouth.

"Thanks for all of your hard work." Zaken whispered to him. Eldridge's eyes bugged out of his head in horror at the emotionless smirk on Zaken's face. Without hesitation, Zaken tied the end of the noose to one of the posts that supported the railing, and hefted the larger man over the side. He fell like a rock into the water, and sunk far below the surface. Zaken watched as the rope shifted with Eldridge's struggles without expression, and then turned away as the movement ceased. He left the rope still tied to the ship, and went below deck into the crew's cabin.

In the shadows underneath the raised upper deck, Tillion stood, staring at the still tied noose rope in horror. He couldn't believe what he'd just seen, and how guiltless Zaken had been while carrying it out. Living as an orphan of war in the harsh land of Gracia, Tillion had killed a few times himself, once even his young sibling who couldn't defend themselves. Never though, never had he been able to sleep guilt-free after what he did. Never was he able to perform the deed as calmly as fulfilling his daily duties, like Zaken had just done. It was now that Tillion realized how foolish he was for tattling on Zaken, and how it would be wise to not cross him alone.

A few days later, Zaken stood on the deck of the ship, sitting on the railing as Perry pranced around in a circle, doing an imitation of a hunchback they'd seen while docked in the harbor that day. He laughed with the group he sat with as Perry finished, and continued mending the rope in his hands.

"Captain on deck!" Mordecai, now acting as Chief Mate, announced as he and his father stepped out of the captain's quarters. All of the sailors on deck stopped their duties and stood respectfully save Zaken, who continued to sit and mend the rope. Alvar at this time noticed a rope tied to one of the railing supports, and tilted his head at it curiously. The end dragged in the water as they sailed through the ocean, and Alvar could see a school of large fish swimming after it. Slipping behind Beryl, he knelt and tugged on it, his surprise continuing as he discovered something heavy was attached to the end. He tugged on Perry's tunic and motioned to the rope, and the two began to heft it up the side.

"It has come to my attention that there is a bit of sour feelings running amok through my crew." Ranen began, taking short, measured steps onto the deck as he addressed the crew. "This will not do, and I must apologize on my behalf if I am the one who has caused such emotions." He raised his eyebrow slightly as Alvar suddenly stood up straight and retched into an empty barrel normally used for carrying salt. Beryl turned around and crouched on the deck as Perry talked to him in a low voice.

"As if an apology will fix it." One of the crew mates whispered to Zaken. "He's been doting on that son of his all of this time while the rest of us starve."

"To amend this situation, I intend on treating all of you to the best food and whores at the next harbor we dock at! What do you say?" Ranen punched the air slightly, expecting a chorus of cheers. His smile dropped as silence was his response. Growing irritated, he turned his frustration at a lack of a response onto the trio that was slowly drawing a crowd. "What is going on over there?" he demanded angrily. Mordecai pushed his way through them, and glanced over the railing at whatever it was Perry was holding up on the rope. He emerged with a green face.

"Father, I think I've found Eldridge." He said, swallowing hard. Instantly interested, the rest of the crew forgot the formality of being attentive in the captain's presence and raced over to the railing. Groans of disgust rose from the crew, and several turned away to vomit into the same barrel Alvar had used.

"Who did this?" Ranen demanded, emerging from the crowd himself. "Which one of you murdered Eldridge? Speak now or justice of the sea be done!" The crew looked at him in silence, their faces blank masks. Ranen's gaze darted among them, until coming to rest on Zaken, who still sat on the railing mending the rope as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "You! You are the only one who could have done this! I knew Eldridge was being too kind when he saved a psychopath like you! Beryl, throw him into the brig, we shall hang him at sundown!" When no one moved, Ranen turned to face the large man angrily. "Beryl, throw him into the brig!" he snapped.

"I don't see any crimes worth a hanging here, Captain." Beryl answered. Ranen's mouth opened and closed in disbelief, and Mordecai stepped forward, drawing his sword.

"You dare go against the Captain's orders?" he shouted, holding the point underneath the large man's chin.

"Put that pig poker down son, you don't want me to get angry." Beryl responded, narrowing his eyes.

"Mutiny." Zaken said in a low voice. Ranen spun on his heel to face the teen again, who now stared at him with cold amusement.

"What did you say?" he hissed, his face turning red with rage.

"Mutiny." Zaken repeated as calmly as before.

"Mutiny!" Beryl shouted as well, and the rest of the crew began chanting the word. Ranen and Mordecai backed against each other as the crew circled around them, shouting "Mutiny!" Ranen looked back at Zaken, and his eyes widened as he finally recalled where he'd seen him before.  
"You're that boy…Luke's son." He breathed. He realized karma had finally circled around in that moment, and shut his eyes. "I won't go down alone!" he shouted as he opened his eyes again. With a battle shout, he drew his sword and ran at Zaken. Deftly stepping aside, Zaken quickly snagged the sword from Mordecai's hand and thrust it through Ranen's back, the end emerging on the other side.  
"It's no spear point, but I think the effect is the same." He stated coldly as Ranen fell to the deck.  
"Father!" Mordecai shouted. "You bastard!" he ran at Zaken with fists raised, but was stopped dead in his tracks as Beryl landed a well-aimed punch in the boy's guts. He grinned at Zaken and cracked his knuckles loudly.  
"I've wanted to hit this runt for a long time now." He said with a chuckle.

"I'll have your heads for this!" Mordecai shouted later. "This ship is registered under my father's name; they'll never let you dock at any harbors!" He and his father were tied back to back to a plank of wood, and dangled over the water from a pulley. The crew stood at the railing, jeering and throwing garbage at them. His father was still unconscious and barely alive from the stab wound, and bled openly into the water. Mordecai tried not to think if there were sharks swimming below them.  
"We're not going to dock at any harbors." Zaken said simply with a smile.  
"You're mad, you'll die without restocking!" Mordecai retorted. Zaken chuckled and put a foot up on the railing, leaning over it slightly as if to draw nearer to the teen.  
"We're not going to dock legally that is." Zaken added with a grin. Mordecai's mouth fell open with realization, and he began to struggle.  
"Everyone quiet!" Beryl shouted. He held a hand out to Zaken with a smile as the crew fell silent. "Your orders, Captain!" he grinned. Zaken smirked darkly and stepped up to the upper deck to survey the crew as they cheered. He held up a hand and they silenced immediately.  
"Cut the rope." He said, and the crew began to jeer once more, all of them running for the rope that secured the pulley.  
"No, don't!" Mordecai cried. "I won't ever forget this, Zaken! I'll find you one day and kill you!" he snarled. The rope was cut in mere moments, and Mordecai screamed as he and his father fell into the ocean. The crew watched for a few moments as they were sucked into the wake of the ship and propelled behind them, bobbing up and down in the water.  
"Release Krantz!" Zaken then commanded, and two crew mates raced down into the brig to set the giant free. Tillion and Komugi paled, although only one could be seen.  
"Oh no, you're not going to…" Komugi began as the giant emerged from below. "…please tell me you're not that mean, Zaken." She winced.  
"What now, Captain?" Perry asked, grinning at the boy. Zaken thought for a moment, and then folded his arms over his chest in an authoritive manner.  
"Tillion!" he barked, and the crowd parted to reveal a sick looking Tillion. Zaken motioned for the gangly teen to join him on the upper deck, and he shifted slightly in nervousness.  
"Go on!" Beryl urged, shoving him roughly on his back. Tillion gave Krantz a fretful look and shuffled his feet as he made his way to the upper deck. Zaken gave him an evil grin, and put his hand on Tillion's shoulder.  
"You see, it was Tillion who planted the idea into my head about the state of the ship, and to mutiny it." Zaken began, shaking Tillion's shoulder slightly. "So it is him to thank for your freedom from Ranen. However, he and I had a deal if I were to have a successful mutiny." He faced Tillion, his grin spreading, and Tillion's face blanched once more. Krantz took a few shy steps forward, and both Komugi and Kylon covered their faces. "However, I am so grateful to him that I'm going to forget the conditions of the deal and name him my Chief Mate!"  
"What?" Tillion's voice came out tiny, and he stared at Zaken with large eyes. The crew began to cheer again, and a few shouted "Chief Mate Tillion! Captain Zaken!" as if testing the new titles out. An uncertain smile crossed Tillion's face, and he looked out at the crowd. The cheering silenced as Zaken held his hand up again.  
"No more will Krantz be held in the brig unless he likes it down there, too. We'll need someone to force our will so that everyone will fear the crew of the Derech Eretz! I name Krantz as my Butcher!" Zaken said, but no cheers came from this, only uncertain whispering.  
"But what if he kills us, Captain?" Alvar asked uncertainly. It was strange, Komugi noted at this moment, that no one had previously talked about what the fate of the ship would be from then on, but no one seemed to mind the prospect of becoming pirates.  
"Krantz follow Zaken, only butcher what Zaken wants." Krantz said now. There were a few noises of approval, but everyone largely remained silent.  
"Alright you scurvy dogs, to your posts! I think we should deliver this cargo that the former Captain put on board, but take our own share of payment!" Zaken barked. There was another cheer, and the crew separated back into their posts.  
"Wait, what about me! What special post to I get?" Kylon spoke up. Zaken, who had begun to speak to Tillion, looked down at Kylon in surprise, as if he'd forgotten him.  
"Oh." Zaken said, and then thought. "You get to be the comedy relief." He decided, and then turned away with his arm over Tillion's shoulders. Kylon stared at him, his jaw dropping open.  
"Tough luck mate." Beryl said sympathetically. He patted Kylon's shoulders and then handed him a scrub brush. "Short guys just don't make very intimidating pirates I'm afraid, but I'm sure you'll excel at the comedy bit." Kylon let out a noise of frustration and threw the scrub brush to the deck.  
"I'm not a midget!" he shouted angrily. Scattered laughter met his shout. "I'm serious!" he snapped, turning to face the men who had laughed. His response was more laughter. He let out a screeching noise and then stomped below to the crew's cabin.

Ryonai and Shizuka crept up to the bridge again and ducked behind a rock ledge as they watched the steward. Ryonai finally sighed bitterly and smacked the corsair hat from her head, as it towered comedically over the rock and gave away their position. Shizuka pouted and sniffled at him for a moment with watering eyes, but then returned to normal as Ryonai focused back on the steward.  
"Alright, how shall we get past him? We could climb the ledge here, go down the other side, and cross the river to the Castle courtyard." He thought aloud.  
"How about I get naked and lure him away?" Shizuka offered enthusiastically.  
"Are you nuts? It's freezing out here!" Ryonai responded with a frown. "Besides, I don't want anyone else seeing that but me." He grumbled.  
"Aww, Ryonai-Sama is so cute when he's jealous." Shizuka cooed, snuggling close to his back. Ryonai sighed and stood, trying to keep focus on the situation at hand. He was easily distracted by any attention Shizuka would give him, but now was not the time for it.  
"Alright, screw a plan, let's just charge him and hope he doesn't have any magic powers." Ryonai muttered, drawing his sword.  
"Alright!" she exclaimed, and pranced after him happily as he charged the steward with a shout. She paused as the steward noticed Ryonai and took up a fighting stance, and her face darkened. "Ni undume as le" she said in a voice darker than normal. Just before Ryonai's sword point reached him, the Steward suddenly let out a choked noise as a black fog erupted from the ground and surrounded him. Ryonai blinked in confusion as the Steward's skin suddenly turned gray, and he fell to the ground, unmoving.  
"What just happened?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Shizuka. She had her eyes wide in a look of shock, and covered her mouth with her hand.  
"I don't know, that was scary!" she said in a tiny voice. Pursing his lips for a moment, Ryonai shrugged and sheathed his sword.  
"Oh well, all the better. Let's go!" he stepped past the body of the steward and dashed over the bridge. Shizuka paused at the Stewards side and bent down to pat him lightly on the head.  
"Tell mother hello for me, ok?" she asked brightly before prancing after Ryonai while humming.

The Gargoyle creature that had once been a Light Elf, stood unseen on a ledge. He'd just watched what had happened to the Queen's Steward, and stared at Shizuka's departing figure with shock.  
"To the Abyss with you?" he repeated in English. An uneasy feeling crawled in his chest and he flapped off the ledge to retrieve the Stewards body. There was something odd about the Light Elf healer that accompanied the Paladin, and he wanted nothing to do with them, even if they did threaten the life of the Queen. Something about the Elves aura that spoke of her being more than what she appeared scared even him, and he hoped Freya would be smart enough to back down from a fight with her.


	13. Chapter 13

Aboard the Derech Eretz, six years after the mutiny

"Captain, the ship's suddenly changed course to the east and not to our usual harbor. Shouldn't we do something about it?" Zaken raised his head from glancing at the parchment unrolled on his desk to look at his Chief Mate.

"The change was intended." He said simply, rolling the parchment up. "We've reached our limit in Gracia, it's time to head to Aden." He placed the scroll on a pile set in the nook on the wall. Tillion's eyes bugged out in his head as Zaken plucked a smaller scroll from a shelf and returned to his desk.

"Why? We're treated as gods in Gracia! Men and women alike either fear us or wish to join us, there's no reason to start over!" he protested. Zaken stood up straight and regarded him emotionlessly.

"All the more reason to move on, being respected to the point of worship is not the true face of piracy. We're not out to be their friends, we're out to rob them blind." Zaken said simply, stepping from behind his desk and towards the door. "Don't loose sight of yourself Tillion, if you become too greedy you'll turn into something that's not a pirate at all." With that he stepped out of his quarters and onto the deck.

"I think I've earned the right to be worshipped, you tall bag of garbage." Tillion grumbled once the door swung shut. He stepped behind Zaken's desk and plopped himself in the plush chair there. "Just like I've long since earned my own ship." He reclined back in the chair and glanced about the cabin greedily.

It had long since been redecorated to suit Zaken's tastes, the walls now lined with books and puzzles and trinkets of strange and exotic origin. The trio of ships Zaken now commanded had enough jewels and treasures to start their own bank, but for some reason Zaken chose to surround himself with common items that could be found in any house.

Over the course of six years Zaken had made quite a name for himself and had procured two extra ships with the intention of gaining more. They were the Nwalmaer, which Perry and Alvar commanded, and the Wagtail, which Beryl captained. Tillion seethed in jealousy, as he felt, since he was Chief Mate, that he should've gotten first choice of ships to command and someone else take his position on the Derech Eretz.

The costal villages and cities of Gracia had long since learned to fear the name Zaken and Derech Eretz, and fled whenever the names were uttered. This also caused great envy in Tillion's dark heart, since no one knew his name. In fact, most laughed at him when he tried to tell him he was Chief Mate on Zaken's ship!

Zaken had changed over the years and had become a closely guarded man of mystery. He never spoke of himself except in rare occasions while talking to Tillion. He'd shed the heavy wool coat he used to wear for a long, oiled leather trench coat and matching corsair hat. He was handsome and distinguished, and Tillion hated how the women would flock to him without question.

He'd also somehow learned how to wield dual rapiers sometime while in port. A rumor sprang up on the Wagtail that Zaken had learned swordplay from Gran Kain himself with how much of a devil he became in battle. No one could best him in a duel when he drew his swords. The hat and strange choice of weapons (as no one had ever heard of dual rapier wielding. After all, how could one fence with both hands at once?) became a staple, and soon everyone knew his face.

Grumbling in envy, Tillion swung his legs up and plopped his boots heavily on the desk, not caring that he was dirtying the parchments there. The tiny rolled-up scroll that Zaken had previously grabbed rolled off the edge and onto the floor. Noticing it, Tillion leaned down and plucked it from the floorboards, and opened it curiously. His eyes lit up happily and he sat up straight as he realized the scroll was plans for a ship that Zaken wished to add to his fleet.

It had been one that Tillion openly spoke to Zaken about desiring, a tiny little thing that favored speed over firepower. It was quick, quicker than even the Derech Eretz, and could get to any destination in half the time.

"I'm getting my own ship!" he giggled to himself as he poured over the layout greedily. His eyes landed on the list of crew that Zaken had noted in the corner of the scroll that he was going to transfer over. His happy smile dropped as he did not find his name on the list anywhere. Instead, and jealous rage built in him once again as he read it, he found that Zaken intended to hand the ship over to Kylon.

Growling in anger, Tillion crumpled the plans up and threw it against the door as hard as he could. It bounced off as the door was flung open quickly, Kylon himself storming in angrily.

"Zaken, I need to talk to you!" he shouted as he stomped in. Tillion bolted upright from the chair, embarrassed to have been caught sitting in it. Seemingly not noticing it, Kylon looked around the cabin with a scowl. "Where is he? I need to talk to him!" he snapped.

"He's not in here, didn't you see him on deck?" Tillion asked with large eyes. He broke out into a dark grin a moment later as his calculating mind went to work. "Was there a problem?" he asked, his voice rich with concern.

"I wanted to know what the big idea was; I'm not the ship's clown!" Kylon exclaimed, taking a brown parcel from his coat and throwing it onto the desk. Tillion had to clamp his mouth shut from laughter as a pretty, lacy dress slid from the opened paper. The note card that came with it was delicately addressed to Kylon in Zaken's unmistakable handwriting.

"This is awful!" Tillion said sympathetically. "Who does he think he is, compromising your manhood like that? How hateful of him!" Tillion exclaimed. He moved around the desk to kneel beside Kylon and pat his shoulder sympathetically.

"I know! And I do so much to make up for my height too!" Kylon sniffled, large tears welling in his eyes. Tillion sighed and shook his head, and patted Kylon's shoulder again.

"I've been getting complaints left and right it seems, about our esteemed leader." Tillion said sadly. "I do what I can to ease them, but it's almost as if everyone is ready to mutiny!" Tillion stood up and turned his back on Kylon dramatically. "But some of the men aren't cut out to lead the ship at all! If only someone with the qualities of a leader that people have overlooked before would take the stand against our Captain! I'm sure the rest of the men would be sure to follow!" Tillion said dramatically.

"I'll do it!" Kylon exclaimed without hesitation." Tillion grinned wickedly for a moment before turning to face Kylon with a look of surprise.

"You would do that? You would stand bravely as our new Captain?" Tillion asked, his eyes large and innocent.

"You bet I would! I'd give you your own ship to boot!" Kylon said, his face eager and shining.

"I have sorely misjudged you in the past Kylon, you surprise me! Well then, allow me to pledge my allegiance to you already, Captain!" Tillion said, bowing respectfully. The shorter man's chest puffed out and he stuck his nose in the air as his ego expanded. "Time is of the essence though! The next time there is a moment of unrest amongst the crew; I'd grab it and take control!" Kylon nodded in agreement and then began laughing like a madman. Tillion turned away from him to pretend to be straightening the scrolls on Zaken's desk, a dark smirk spreading on his face.

The pair emerged from the Captain's quarters a few moments later to find Zaken standing on the upper deck, addressing not only the crew of the Derech Eretz, but the crews of the other ships, which had pulled close to the main ship. The crews of the Nwalmaer and the Wagtail gathered along the edges closest to the Derech Eretz, and listened intently as Zaken spoke.

"Your navigators may have already reported, but our change in course to the east was intentional. Wind permitting, I intend to have us arrive in Aden within three weeks time." Zaken announced loudly. His voice rang clear over the three ships, easily heard despite the crashing of the water between the boats. There was a chorus of disbelief and protest amongst the crew with this news.

"Aye, what do we want from that place, Captain? We war doin' just fine in Gracia!" Perry shouted from where he hung on the shrouds. The crew of the Nwalmaer shouted in agreement

"Thank you for asking that Chief Mate Perry!" Zaken said, holding up a finger. He clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace back and forth on the upper deck. "We've grown too comfortable gentleman, and I'm afraid that if we don't leave now we'll overstay our welcome and people will stop fearing us!" He paused and looked out over the crew of the Derech Eretz without expression. "Aden is a whole new land full of magic and riches just waiting for us to plunder! They say the land is full of mystics who know the secrets of immortality! Think of it!" he began pacing again, his eyes growing wild with excitement. "The land of the Giants…with their treasures and legacy right there for us to gain! We're growing old gentlemen, even if some of us don't look like it yet. We need to at least get out there and try, to give Aden a taste of the pirates of the Derech Eretz!"

Again there was a chorus of protesting, and Kylon took a few tentative steps forward, his face alive with anticipation. Tillion took a few steps backwards, enough to look like he and Kylon hadn't been together.

"But to Aden sir, that's so far!" an older pirate whined. Zaken tilted his head at him slightly, regarding him without emotion.

"If you'd rather stay in Gracia, please feel free to leave at your leisure. Keep in mind that I will not go off my current course of travel so you must find your own means back to land." Zaken said simply. The crew silenced their protesting to a few scattered angry whispers. "That is all, return to your posts. Captains of the Nwalmaer and Wagtail, please make sure your ships follow the courses I gave your navigators, I don't want us getting separated once we reach midpoint. The Neutral Waters are vast, wild lover, men! Let's show those landlubbers that we're the true kings who were able to tame her!" With that he stepped off of the upper deck and headed back towards his quarters, leaving the men to speak amongst themselves in protest.

Thinking he'd found the chance he was searching for, Kylon jumped forward with his sword drawn and shouted "MUTINY!" The crew was silent in an instant, and Zaken paused in the doorway to his quarters to look at Kylon over his shoulder in surprise. Not finding anyone responding to his shout, Kylon held his sword into the air after panting desperately a few times and tried again. "Mutiny!" came his voice once more, this time uncertain.

"Kylon, what are you doing? I'm sorry to say but this isn't a very funny joke, even for you." Zaken asked, facing him fully. Kylon backed up a few steps as Zaken walked towards him, glancing desperately at the men about him.

The crews on board the Nwalmaer and Wagtail began to jeer as the silence continued, and Kylon turned desperately towards the Chief Mate. "Tillion! You lied! You said they were ready to mutiny!" Kylon shouted as the crew converged on him. He screamed like a girl as he was raised over their heads, and kicked his feet uselessly.

"Shall we throw him o'erboard, Cap'n?" a surly red-haired pirate asked. There were shouts of agreement among the crew of the Derech Eretz, and they began shifting towards the side of the boat.

"NO!" Kylon screamed in a high-pitched voice. There were shouts of alternate punishments from the other two ships, and Kylon whimpered at a few of them.

"No, throw him in the brig." Zaken said after a moment's consideration. The jeers turned into noises of protest as the men carrying Kylon moved towards the brig door. "Enough!" Zaken said loudly, silencing the other ships. "We've been held up long enough! He'll receive his punishment come landfall, now weigh anchor you scum ridden weevil shaggers!" he snapped, waving his hand. Disappointed, the crews of the other ships moved back to their posts and began making preparations to pull away from the Derech Eretz.

Kylon screamed again as he was carried below the deck and thrown into one of the holding cells. He landed on something squishy, and screamed in horror as it was a pile of Krantz's feces. He screamed in horror again and ran for the door as it clanged shut as he realized they'd thrown him into the holding cell that Krantz frequently used as a toilet to relieve himself in. His shouts went unheard, and the trapdoor leading into the brig was shut heavily, blocking the noise from the deck.

Komugi sat on the railing of the upper deck, staring at the familiar harbor of Gludin. The Wagtail and Derech Eretz had just docked, receiving looks of shock from the workers there as they'd never seen ships such as theirs before.

Beryl emerged from the Derech Eretz with a group of men carrying a bound Kylon over their heads. He wiggled and struggled, screaming like a girl once more. They carried him over to a cargo hook and tied him to it, upside down, by the ropes binding his feet.

"What are we to do with him Cap'n?" Beryl shouted as Zaken emerged at the top of the ramp leading down to the docks. The men pushed Kylon around like a tetherball, and the small man's eyes rolled up into his head from motion sickness. Zaken thought for a moment, and then smirked coldly.

"It seems we have a group of gentlewomen coming from the city, and our dear Kylon stinks of putris. Make him presentable, men!" Zaken said, putting his hands on his hips. The men chuckled loudly and then circled around Kylon again, who began to squeal, like a pig. There was the sound of ripping fabric, and bits of his clothes fell onto the docks. Komugi scoffed in disgust and looked away, not wanting to see Kylon's recollection to her first hand.

"Hoist him up!" Beryl commanded, and the men began to laugh as they pulled the cargo hook into the air. The women coming from the town to give their husbands food stopped dead in their tracks as they noticed the naked man swinging in the air in front of them. Some fainted in horror, while others gasped in anger and ran back to town. A few of husbands dashed after their wives, shouting apologies the entire way.

"Back to work men, hoist the sails, weigh anchor!" Beryl shouted. Still laughing the men turned away, leaving Kylon dangling upside-down from the hook.

"You're awful." Komugi said bitterly, glaring at Zaken who chuckled darkly at the top of the ramp. He turned and disappeared back onto his ship as his crew boarded, laughing the entire time. Komugi glanced in pity at Kylon, who swung back and forth from the hook, weeping loudly. Several of the harbor workers dashed over to him as the ship pulled away from the dock, and Komugi sighed in relief.

Zaken's plundering of the south and southwestern coast of Aden began almost immediately. His attacks came at a surprise, no one ever expected a pirate from Gracia to suddenly show up. He even laid waste to Talking Island a few times, and Komugi felt rage build at the sight of him robbing the familiar harbor and town of her birth. It was years before even her parents were born, but she still felt sorrow for the townsfolk who wept in horror at the fate that had befallen them. Always quick to form resistances, it wasn't long until the king issued a bounty on the head of Zaken or any of the ships in his growing fleet.

Zaken had five ships to his name now, the two new ones named the Shepard's Flute and the Dreadful King, which was a ship larger and better outfitted than the Derech Eretz. Zaken remained on board of the Derech Eretz, and had docked the Dreadful King next to a rocky, cave-riddled island off of the coast of Giran. There were several other smaller ships that claimed to fly under Zaken's flag, but they were not accepted as part of his fleet, and usually sunk quickly upon being spotted by anyone in Zaken's fleet.

Tillion still did not have his own ship, and his jealous rage began to grow. He was growing tired of being Zaken's lapdog, but did not know how to go about getting rid of Zaken. The entire crew seemed to be pleased with him at this time, happy at the wealth they were amassing. Finding Aden too full of adventurers to safely hide much treasure on the beaches, Zaken began to take slaves and dig out the cave-ridden island to store his treasure there.

Zaken was present on the first true day of construction, and oversaw the slaves without emotion. His crew treated them less than humane, but he didn't bat an eye as men and women alike were whipped until they bled. Zaken's only honorable trait at this point, that Komugi could find, was that children were brought with their parents, but not forced to work or beaten. The extent of this honor was questionable however; as it occurred to Komugi that Zaken was using the children as a means of forcing the parents to work.

There was a chorus of horrified screams on the day Komugi found herself pushed to, and Zaken spun quickly to face the direction the noise emanated from. He shielded himself as the rock wall burst outward, showering the cavern that the slaves were working out of with rocks. Several of them, and pirate overseers were pinned underneath boulders, and screams of horror turned into ones of pain. Although not fazed by anything the memories showed her usually, Komugi found herself standing and staring in shock as a tall red demon emerged from the hole in the wall, roaring in rage.

He was naked, his body covered in glowing tattoos that seemed to smolder with an inner fire. His face was pointed, but Komugi found in surprise that he was handsome, in a demonic way. He had fiery red spiked hair on top of his head, and two great bull horns protruded from the sides of his head. Three beautiful, demonic women, shorter than him, ran in around his legs and began to attack the slaves and pirates gathered in the cavern.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Zaken shouted. His voice held a great commanding presence, and the demonic women themselves stopped in the act of killing to look at him in surprise. "What is the meaning of this, demon?" He asked the tall creature boldly.

"You insolent fools, how dare you encroach upon my territory and wake me from my slumber!" The demon roared. "I have come to this island to be free of you fools, and here you are, turning my home into your own personal depository! I will not have it!" the demon took large steps towards Zaken in an intimidating manner, but Zaken didn't even blink.

"We have come a long way, from the Gracian seas far across the Neutral Waters. We were not aware of this being your place of slumber demon, but perhaps we can come to a deal." Zaken said smoothly, staring at the demon evenly.

"I, a faithful servant of Beleth make a deal with a weak human like you? The very idea makes me retch!" the demon spat. "You will vacate my place of rest now or my wives shall continue to feed!" With a short nod from the demon the wives returned to ripping the chests and throats out of the people they had pounced.

"I refuse!" Zaken shouted loudly over the cries of death echoing through the cavern. The demon turned on him in surprise, and the wives stopped what they were doing again.

"You refuse?" The demon laughed. "You insolent thing, how dare you think to command me, the demon Kurikups?" The demon began to laugh loudly, his wives echoing with hissing giggles.

"Lord Kurikups, here is the deal I wish to present to you." Zaken began, facing the demon bravely. "Allow me to use this island as my base for my treasures. We shall leave your place of slumber be, and in exchange for your cooperation, you shall be well-guarded. Intruders are bound to come here eventually, but if we make a pact now, I can have my men guarding my treasure make it so you will never be disturbed again." Kurikups stared at him in surprise, and thought for a moment, lifting one clawed hand to his chin.

"You present a good deal, human, and I am impressed by your boldness. Fine then, I shall abide by your deal for now, but any one of your crew or slaves that dare disturb me from now on shall be eaten without hesitation, understood?" Kurikups said.

"Agreed." Zaken said, nodding. Kurikups waved his hand, and his wives abandoned the bodies they held to the water, following him dutifully back into the hole from where they emerged. Komugi tilted her head curiously as they left; she'd never heard of the demon Kurikups before, and she wondered if he were still on Devil's Isle.

The next memory Komugi faced now was a battle on the sea. The Derech Eretz, Wagtail and Shepard's Flute was facing four of the best ships in King Raoul's possession. Cannons fired at one another with loud bursts, and from where Komugi floated over the ocean; she could see the crew of the Derech Eretz racing about trying to return fire. Men were tossed overboard as the ship shook from impact, and a sick feeling washed over Komugi as she realized the Derech Eretz was loosing. She was transported quickly, against her will, to the deck of the Derech Eretz as the main battleship from Aden boarded.

She found Zaken amongst burning debris littering the deck, fighting Aden's soldiers, three at a time. She had only seen him move in battle once, during the attack on him in Devil's Isle that ultimately led to his feeding from her. It was different though, seeing him move as a human than as a vampire. There was something beautiful about his swordmanship, a kind of raw beauty that only a man fighting for his life could display.

His swords clashed against the blows the three soldiers attempted to land on him, and he spun gracefully to stab an approaching forth through a link in his armor while holding the other three at bay. He returned his attention to the first while the fourth fell, and slid out of the hold to return to parrying their blows. He darted forward in impressive footwork, stabbing one through the neck, and the other through the chest where his armor did not cover him under his arm.

"Tillion! Pull the ship back, we have to retreat!" Zaken shouted as he parried blows from the remaining soldier. Komugi gasped lightly as she saw Tillion creeping across the deck with a look of fear plastered over his face. "Tillion!" Zaken called again, not seeing his Chief Mate. Tillion slithered over the railing and into the water, and began to paddle away as quickly as he could.

"You coward!" Komugi exclaimed in disbelief. Tillion cast one frightened look over his shoulder before swimming as fast as he could for shore. Komugi returned her attention to Zaken's fight, and gasped. "Watch out!" she cried, a man creeping up behind Zaken. He didn't hear her, of course, and the point of a sword exploded out of Zaken's chest as he was stabbed through the back. Zaken cried out in pain, his back arching as the man withdrew his sword from it. He fell to his hands and knees, and looked up at his attacker weakly.

"Isn't this a pleasant way for life to swing around?" Mordecai's voice came. He had long hair now and a dusting of a beard, and grinned at Zaken with triumph. "Fashioned yourself into a right fancy captain, I see. Well this is the end I'm afraid, hope you had your fun." He dragged Zaken across the deck towards the railing.

"How…are you alive…?" Zaken choked, blood coming from his mouth. Mordecai grinned at him as he raised him up, half propping him over the railing.

"I used my father as a raft, the dead float, you know." Mordecai snickered. "Floated the entire way to the Dark Forest's coastline on him too miraculously, until the fish finally caught whiff of him and came to eat. I have to thank you though; I've had a better life here than I would've ever had on that stuffy old ship with my father wiping my ass every five minutes." He patted Zaken's cheek roughly, his smirk darkening. "I go by the name Leopold now, so be sure to tell everyone in the abyss that I sent you, alright?" Without another word he tossed Zaken overboard and watched until his body sank below the waves.

"Zaken!" Komugi cried, diving into the water after him. She made no splash as she went underneath the waves, and found that she could still breathe. She groped for him in frustration as he sunk deep within the water, a look of suspended horror on his face. He watched the blood floating from the wound on his back and chest in shock, memories of his father's death playing through his head.

Sharks circled above Zaken's head as he sunk farther into the water, snapping at the blood. They seemed to realize where it originated from, and swam quickly after it, jaws chomping for a piece of Zaken. Komugi was propelled from the water as she tried once again to reach for him, and could only watch from above as a dark color seeped to the surface. She sobbed once and looked away, not knowing where the blood was coming from, and not wanting to know.

Lighting flashed overhead as a storm rode in from the west. There was a great flash, and Komugi winced as lightning struck the main mast of the Derech Eretz. Aden soldiers that had crawled aboard the ship to claim it jumped overboard as the mast caught fire. From where she floated she could see Mordecai shouting in frustration, his father's ship slipping from his grasp once again.

"Serves you right, Leopold." She said in a low voice. Leopold, if it was truly the same man from this time, was the aged master of the Black Lion brigade who acted against the remaining forces of Gracia in her time. He seemed pleasant and well-liked amongst those who were part of the Black Lion group, and had never been cruel to Komugi during the time she lived in Gludin, but she wasn't sure she could ever see him in the same light after this.

Komugi looked around herself curiously as the scene shifted, and she found herself standing on a tall cliff looking down to the ocean that crashed below. Lightning flashed again, and in the brief light she saw a hand break the surface of the water and clutch one of the slippery rocks. Zaken, now minus his hat, followed the hand, and pulled himself out of the water with a gasp. He scaled the rock ledge like a man possessed, and finally pulled himself to the level ground Komugi stood upon. His eyes were wide in unshakeable horror, and his body was covered in scratches that had bled white. He hugged himself and shivered as more thunder and lightning crashed overhead, his expression the exact same as it had been the night his father and sister had been killed. He had just faced death again, the only thing that seemed to terrify him the most, and barely escaped it's grasp.

"Carine, hurry!" a middle-aged farmer shouted not long later, racing across the meadow and towards Zaken. "There's someone over here, bring that light quickly!" A plump woman ran after her husband, a lantern rattling in her hand as she tried desperately to keep it lit despite the torrential rain falling from the sky. Komugi found herself rising higher into the sky despite her best efforts to stay on the ground, and could only watch as the farmer couple hefted Zaken up by his arms and helped him walk back to their house.

"And we're at yet another standstill." Ryonai said in annoyance. He and Shizuka were ducked behind some rocks, looking at an ice lake in front of the entrance to the Ice Queen's castle proper. Standing in the center of it was the Ice Fairy Sirra and her servants, watching the area with sharp eyes.

"Want me to get naked and lure them away?" Shizuka asked brightly.

"How in the world would that work on a floaty woman made of ice?" Ryonai snapped. Shizuka thought for a moment, and then hit her fist into her palm.

"She could like girls!" Shizuka stated happily. Ryonai opened his mouth in protest and then shut it again as he pondered this possibility.

"Wait, I don't want another woman seeing that either, that's for my viewing alone!" Ryonai exclaimed, realizing that he'd almost agreed to her idea out of male hormones.

"Uh oh." Shizuka suddenly said, staring over Ryonai's head with large eyes. Ryonai turned quickly to find Sirra floating behind them, regarding them with cold curiosity. He and Shizuka barely managed to dodge her as she froze the air in an attempt to ice them like she had done with Komugi. Her servants flew from around her after him, and Ryonai lifted his shield to block the claws of the eyeball monster.

Without a word Shizuka began casting spells to enhance Ryonai's attack, as Ryonai drew his sword in preparation. He ducked and rolled again as Sirra attempted to freeze the air, and her wind Sylph came for him this time. He cursed as his sword passed through her, and reached into his armor. He pulled a canteen of water from it, and uncorked it with his teeth. He threw it at the Sylph just as Sirra attempted to freeze him again. The water caught the tail end of her magic, and tiny ice needles flew through the air and into the Sylph. She let out a gasping scream before falling to the ground gracefully, impaled upon the ice-needles.

Sirra stared at her fallen servant in horror, and then turned a hateful glare onto Ryonai as he fought the claw-demon. Her face darkened and she held out a hand, a strange staff of ice forming in it. With an echoing shout of rage she flew at Ryonai and swung her staff, no longer content to kill him by just using her magic alone. Ryonai's eyes widened and he quickly glanced between the angered Ice Fairy and the claw demon, unsure of which to fight before jumping out of the way.

"A little help here, Shizuka!" Ryonai managed to get out as Sirra swung at him again. He held his shield up and her staff clanged off of it, ice forming where the staff had hit the metal. "Holy shit!" Ryonai exclaimed, as the ice broke away, taking the piece of shield with it. He stumbled onto his back, tripping over some frozen vines. His eyes widened in horror as the end of her staff smashed into the ground between his legs, mere inches from his crotch. He stared at the Fairy in disbelief. "I need that!" he exclaimed before rolling to his feet.

Completely calm, Shizuka watched as Ryonai struggled against the fairy and the demon. She then calmly plucked a small, cylindrical object from her travel pack and held it in her fist as she extended her arm from her body. The cylinder grew magically, turning into a bow, and she took an arrow from the quiver stored in her pack. Smoothly she fitted the arrow into the bowstring and took careful aim at the claw demon before letting the arrow fly. It smacked the demon in the middle of its eye, a sickening popping noise preceding a gush of purple blood. It screeched horribly and writhed in the air.

Her second beloved servant taken down, Sirra turned her hateful glare onto Shizuka as the Elf shot the claw demon with another arrow, taking it down to the ground. She screeched loudly at her before lifting her staff and beginning a swift flight in her direction. She was halted before she'd even moved an inch, as Ryonai's sword went through her midsection. Sirra turned her head woodenly to stare at him over her shoulder, her eyes wide with horror.

Ryonai's look of triumph turned into one of surprise, and he released his sword as it crystallized with ice. Impaled through the stomach on the sword, Sirra turned back to face the castle, and reached a hand out towards it, her breath coming out in echoing gasps.

"Majesty…" she gasped, grasping for the castle with one hand while the other held her chest. Her head tilted back and ice suddenly crystallized in a great lump out of her mouth and down her chin, and Ryonai backed up a few steps to protect Shizuka as the Fairy began to crumble. She fell apart in pieces, as if she had been a fragile figurine that had been dropped.

As soon as he was sure she was truly dead, Ryonai took a few shuffling steps forward and retrieved his frozen sword from the snow. He made a distasteful noise as the ice didn't seem to want to break from it. "Let's just get going." He said dejectedly. Shizuka, unfazed by what had just transpired, nodded enthusiastically and pranced after him as he plodded across the frozen lake to the Queen's castle.

The Gargoyle that had been following them since they entered the Queen's courtyard now flew down from the perch he had taken on the upper ledge, and lifted up Sirra's head gingerly. He sighed heavily and began collecting her pieces from the snow. He had to make sure they were all there when Freya got around to putting her back together.


	14. Chapter 14

The past

Zaken stood on the meadow watching the house of the farming couple burn without pity or remorse. He'd been staying with them for the past three months, living as a normal man. He'd suffered from amnesia from the shock of almost dying, and thought himself a simple farmer like them. That is, until what was left of his crew came searching for him. Embarrassed that he'd been living off of their kindness (they'd even built him his own cabin), Zaken killed the couple immediately and set their house on fire. Their bodies laid in the meadow disgracefully, left for the wind spirits and lesser Orcs that wandered about the area.

Komugi almost wanted to hate this Zaken, with how cruel and ruthless he was. The couple had opened their hearts to him, and this was how he repaid them. "Is this how you wanted to torture me, Freya?" she asked the sky angrily. "Showing me all of this? Mocking me that Zaken is indeed the cruel thing that you said he was?" Still, hatred would not come completely, as all she could see was the little boy he once had been, crying in fear over the death of his Ol Mahum playmate. She crouched to the ground next to Zaken as he continued to watch the burning house, idly wondering how much time had passed in the real world. To her it felt like days, years had gone by, but she knew that if that were so, she'd be dead and not experiencing Zaken's memories any longer.

"Captain!" Perry exclaimed as the Shepard's Flute sailed into the cove of Devil's Isle with Zaken on its bow. The rest of the pirates remaining emerged from their little nooks in the walls of the Isle shouting happy greetings as it had been ages since they'd seen their captain. Pirates still whipped weakening slaves on the pathways around the cove, the island still far from being completely excavated.

"We thought you were dead, Captain!" Alvar said happily jumping onto the ship as soon as the ramp was lowered. Zaken gazed about the cove with a hardened expression before focusing on Alvar.

"Where is the Derech Eretz?" he snapped, earning a look of surprise from the Elf.

"It's here Captain, but don't you want to see how the Island has come along…?" Alvar asked uncertainly.

"Take me to my ship." Zaken demanded. Alvar gave Perry a look of uncertainty before turning and holding a hand out.

"This way Captain." Alvar said respectfully.

Zaken was lead through the maze of tunnels that now made up most of the Island, and back into the first cove that the slaves had started from. In the center of it, a natural waterfall pouring in from above upon it, was the Derech Eretz. It was broken in two.

"What happened to my ship? Why didn't anyone stay on board to retreat it when I ordered it?" Zaken demanded, grabbing Alvar by his tunic and shaking him. Alvar raised his hands weakly, frightened by the look of rage on Zaken's face.

"With all due respect sir, we still have the Dreadful King. It's much better outfitted for Piracy than the Derech Eretz ever was." Perry said, coming up behind them. Zaken glared menacingly at Alvar another moment before releasing him roughly.

"What are our other losses?" Zaken asked, his voice suddenly sounding tired. He raised a hand to his forehead and passed it over his eyes, as if wiping his anger from him.

"We lost the Wagtail and her crew, sir. Beryl died an honorable seafaring man's death." Perry said sadly. The crew behind him pulled off their bandannas in respect with his words, and bowed their heads.

"Find any remains of that ship and bring it here. We'll honor those who died by giving their souls a safe place to rest." Zaken said, walking away from them. Dark laughter suddenly filled the cavern, echoing off the slimy rocks, and Zaken lifted his head swiftly at it.

"Sad little mortal, afraid of death are you?" Kurikups' voice came. He materialized in front of the human with a smirk, and Zaken's hands clenched into fists at his haughtiness.

"Away from my sight, demon. I have been keeping my end of the bargain with you." Zaken said through clenched teeth. Kurikups did not move, and only chuckled darkly.

"You stink of fear, Grand Pirate." Kurikups said, using the title the folk on the mainland had begun to call him mockingly. "I have never seen a man fear death like you before, yet throw himself into a world where death is prominent." Kurikups strolled around Zaken, as if sizing him up. "But I know of a way to thwart Shilen's embrace, and I'm willing to share it with you."

"What's the catch?" Zaken asked warily, narrowing his eyes. "I have learned enough in this land that a demon's help does not come without a deal." Kurikups raised his eyebrows in surprise, as if appalled by Zaken's words.

"There is no catch at all, dear friend. Fine, if you do not trust me, then seek out the Magus Kenishee. She will tell you where you need to go to find the Giant's Treasure that which will help you cheat death." He disappeared into the air chuckling once again, leaving Zaken to stare without expression, at the spot where he once stood.

"Captain, why must we find this Magus? You said yourself that demons cannot be trusted!" Tillion protested as Zaken walked ahead. It was now a month after his conversation with Kurikups, and Zaken had finally located Magus Kenishee hiding on the opposite end of the island from Kurikups.

The group of crew that followed Zaken walked fearfully behind a party of slaves that they forced to walk ahead, never being to this part of the island before. They arrived in the mouth of a natural cave, which led to a sandy knoll blocked off from the ocean by tall, pointed rocks.

There was a strange gurgling roar, and suddenly the first slave that inched warily ahead was flung into the air with a scream and over the pointed rocks. Zaken and his crew stopped as a beast they'd only heard of in legends dragged himself out from around a corner on the knoll, hitting the slaves away with a large club.

"It's a Giant!" one of the crew cried as a slave was crushed under the titan's mighty hand. Zaken backed against the rock wall, unable to break his eyes away from the giant as it slaughtered his slaves and a few of his crew unlucky enough to have gotten in its way. Its legs had withered away at its waist, a tattered skirt covering his torso and blocking the stumps from view. Strange armor adorned the Giant's shoulders, and a strange mask that had a glowing green circle carved into the center of it sat on its head. Breaking his eyes away from the titan for a moment, Zaken saw a woman wearing a red cloak standing on the knoll behind the giant, her eyes lowered in a look of satisfaction. Beside her floated two shadow servitors, and she petted them lovingly as if they were dogs.

Zaken turned quickly as a roar came from inside of the Island. Krantz stomped through the cave at a run, flinging the crew out of the way like they were dolls. They hit the walls of the cave roughly, and slid to the ground, some dead, some merely unconscious. Krantz caught the Giant's club as it was swung at him, and snarled menacingly at the creature of his ancestry.

"Zaken friend! You will not hurt him!" Krantz shouted. The Giant recoiled a bit, as if shocked to find a being with Giant's blood amongst Zaken's crew. Taking the moment while Krantz scuffled with the Giant, Zaken hurried over to the Magus, who backed herself against the pointed rocks in fear. Her servitors rushed out to aid her, but Zaken merely pulled his pistol from his coat and shot them both in their spectral heads. They dissipated with a moan, and the Magus began scrambling to climb over the rocks.

"No more games, we came to you seeking the location of the Giant's Treasure." Zaken snapped, grabbing her cape and pulling her with it. She held it over the lower half of her face as she fell back to the sand, trying to keep her face from being exposed. She regarded him curiously for a moment before holding up a hand. The Giant suddenly withdrew, leaving a confused Krantz. Still in bloodlust, he turned his remaining anger on the bodies of the crew around the cavern, and began to rip them apart.

"I see Kurikups has found someone worthy of the treasure." Magus said, lowering her eyelids at Zaken. She lacked eyebrows, and it was hard to discern what expression her face was showing at that moment. "The treasure lies on an island, hidden away at its center. Seek it out, it will become known to you"

Nearly a year later, Zaken stood at the bow of the Dreadful King once more as they sailed through a fog. The man in the crow's nest had announced that land was in sight, and he strained his eyes to see it. _Could this be it?_ He thought in anticipation.

They'd been sailing up and down the Aden and Elmore coast for almost a year, searching for the island the Magus claimed held the treasure. Pillaging had come to an almost standstill as Zaken searched for the elusive Giant's Treasure like a man possessed. Tillion smirked darkly to himself in satisfaction as doubts on Zaken's sanity began to spring up amongst the crew_. Just_ _wait a little longer…_ he told himself.

The Nwalmaer remained plundering the southern coastline, and had reported that a Pirate had emerged claiming himself to be Zaken's nemesis and the true king of the southern seas. Perry and Alvar could barely contain their laughter when they realized it was Kylon himself, now going by the name of Corsair Captain Kylon, and sporting the biggest corsair hat they'd ever seen.

They made landfall on an island full of strange flowers, and Komugi instantly recognized the place as the Arteias' land. The events she witnessed from there on matched what she had seen in the feed-dream she'd experienced when Zaken bit her. She watched them again without expression, one hand at her chest as she felt a strange squeezing pain to see Triage again. She didn't understand why, but she didn't feel jealous when she saw the girl, only a great sadness. She looked away as Triage and Zaken kissed, but then glanced back in surprise as the scene shifted to Zaken's cabin.

They were back on the water by the way the cabin rocked, and Komugi found herself staring at the familiar cabin that she herself had remained in while staying with Zaken. Triage sat on the couch that Komugi had used for a bed, staring in worry at the window across the room from her. She wore the white ball gown that Zaken had given her, and the pearl necklace sat at her throat. Explosions rocked the ship, and Triage put her hands on the couch to steady herself.

"Zaken, I can get reinforcements, let me help!" Triage exclaimed as Zaken rushed into his cabin. He glanced at her once, but did not respond, and grabbed a strange bag from his desk drawer.

"Remind me to go through that desk sometime." Komugi said, catching a peek of a mirad of strange objects within it before Zaken slid it shut.

"No, you will remain below the deck." Zaken said in a hard tone of voice. Triage clutched a lock of her coral-colored hair in worry as another explosion rocked the ship.

"But I must get out, Zaken! I must!" she said desperately. It occurred to Komugi then that Triage had a sickly look to her suddenly. Dark circles were under her eyes, and her cheeks looked gaunt. Zaken turned a hateful look on her and grabbed her roughly by her shoulder.

"You wish to leave my side?" He demanded, his eyes wild and possessive. Komugi felt fear in her heart at his expression, as did Triage, by the way she backed away from him.

"You've changed Zaken…this journey has turned you into a demon." She whispered, taking a few steps away from him. Suppressed rage showed itself fully on Zaken's features and he grabbed Triage's wrist roughly and dragged her from the cabin.

"I have fed and clothed you like a queen, and yet you still speak of leaving my side? I have given you protection befitting a god, and your repayment is this?" Zaken snapped. He dragged her as she resisted across the deck and towards the brig.

"Zaken don't, please!" Triage begged, trying to pull her arm free from his grasp. "The Arteias cannot be cag…" Her pleas went unheard, and Zaken threw her roughly into a cell. He slammed the door shut as she dashed back to it. "Please, don't do this!" she wept, reaching a hand out to grab him. He deftly stepped out of her grasp, and returned to the ladder to take him to the deck. "Zaken please!" she wailed. Komugi felt herself crying as the pitiful Arteias woman fell to the ground, her hands over her face, crying as hard as she could. Feathers fell from her wings and littered the cell floor, giving Triage the appearance of a broken angel.

"This isn't what you told me happened, you said she was helping your ship!" Komugi shouted angrily into Zaken's face as she returned to the deck. He did not see or hear her, and walked right through her. Komugi cried out in frustration and attempted to beat on him with all of her might. "You bastard, why did you do this to her? Why did you lie to me?" Komugi yelled in anger and swung her hand as hard as she could. It contacted skin, and Zaken's head snapped to the side. Komugi stared in shock as Zaken lifted a hand to his cheek, surprised.

"Sir?" Tillion called, coming up to him and noticing his expression.

"Tillion, did debris just hit me?" Zaken asked, staring at the place where Komugi floated as if he could see her.

"Not that I can see sir, but we have to hurry, we need you to command us! Stupid Aden dogs, they think they can blow the Dreadful King out of the water!" Tillion exclaimed, leading Zaken away. Komugi looked at her hand in wonder and wiggled her fingers. She wondered if she had really hit him, or if the memory had just been timed right with some debris. Still, her fingers stung as if she had indeed smacked him.

Time sped ahead to several days after the attack on the sea. Zaken and his crew trudged onto a cold beach; the Dreadful King pulled up onto the sand and anchored behind them. It was riddled with cannon ball holes, and some crew remained on board, scooping water out of the cargo hold with buckets.

"That was a close one; we almost lost the Dreadful King too." Tillion said in weary relief. "They're getting stronger sir, shouldn't we return to pillaging?"

"Not until we find the Giant's Treasure." Zaken murmured darkly, focusing on the stretch of land before him.

"Zaken, when will you realize that the Magus and Kurikups have just sent us on a wild bird chase?" Tillion shouted, dropping all formalities with his frustration. He grabbed Zaken's arm to stop him, but Zaken's response was to whip out his fist and backhand Tillion across the temple. The crew that followed him stopped dead in their tracks, shocked that Zaken had hit his Chief Mate.

"Do NOT touch me!" Zaken growled as Tillion stumbled from the impact. He glared hatefully at Tillion for a moment before returning to his path of travel.

"Everything dies one day, Zaken! That's the price of being alive!" Tillion shouted. "Don't be afraid of something like that, you still have years before Shilen will even embrace you!" His shouts went unheard, but the crew behind him began to whisper in shock, never before knowing that the fearless Grand Pirate feared something as natural as death. Tillion smirked darkly and spat, knowing his words would only fuel Zaken's search farther. _Just a little longer…_ he told himself, pleased with the conversations of disbelief behind him.

Komugi followed Zaken as he trudged up a rocky incline, his face creased in deep thought. The rocks bit into his hands and caused them to bleed, but he didn't seem to notice them. She glanced about the land as Zaken climbed, trying to figure out where he had gone landfall. It was unfamiliar to her, and she sighed in frustration at her lack of land knowledge.

Zaken reached to top of the incline, and stood overlooking a tall, beautiful waterfall. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a figure standing in the middle of the waterfall pool, their back facing him. Obviously curious despite the frown on his face, Zaken slid down the other side of the incline and began inching along a ledge siding the river that flowed from the waterfall's pool towards the figure. He slid and fell in shock as the familiar face of the Ice Fairy Sirra suddenly appeared in his, landing ungracefully on his bottom.

"Stand down, Sirra. No need to attack a man who is merely curious." The familiar purring voice of Freya came. Komugi felt rage build inside of her at the sound of it, and her hair prickled out. Sirra grabbed Zaken by his arm and dragged him across the river to the bank of the waterfall pool where she dropped him. The figure in the pool turned out to be Freya herself in her Melissa form, bathing. "Please excuse me kind sir, I am so embarrassed to be caught before you in such a state." She said politely, rinsing her arms.

"Oh stop acting innocent you bitch, you're doing this on purpose." Komugi snarled as Freya continued to bathe with her back facing Zaken. "Making sure he gets an eyeful, aren't you." She growled as Freya turned slightly so that the side of her left breast was clearly seen. She groaned at the look on Zaken's face in response; he was very much falling for her show. "Think of Triage, will you? Is she even still alive?" Komugi glanced back in the direction of the ship, feeling heartbroken for the Arteias who was still locked in the brig.

A snap of Freya's fingers brought Komugi's attention back, and Sirra swooped down with an elegantly decorated crystal robe, which was wrapped around Freya's shoulders. She stepped elegantly from the water, and Zaken got his first sight of her face.

She looked the same as she did in the present, her hair short even then. She bent over with the sickeningly friendly smile Melissa had always given her, and held her hand out to Zaken. "I apologize if my maid startled you, kind sir. She was merely trying to protect me." Struck speechless, which Komugi assumed was caused by the fact that Freya didn't bother to hold her robe shut very tightly at her chest, exposing one breast for viewing when she bent over, Zaken could only take Freya's hand and allow her to pull him to his feet.

"No, the apology is mine; I did not intend to intrude." Zaken said in faltering politeness. It had been a long time since he'd used formalities, and his voice sounded wooden. Freya giggled daintily and led Zaken away from the waterfall.

"As a means of apology on both our ends, would you join me to dine?" Freya asked elegantly. She led him over rocks to a cabin house, smoke pouring merrily from the chimney. "You are a pirate, are you not? I am intrigued by this; I have never met one before."

"I've never met an Elf who has a creature made of Ice as her retainer either." Zaken said dumbly. Freya giggled again.

"We have much to share with one another then." Freya said silkily, leading him into the cabin. Komugi remained outdoors, feeling as if she would vomit in her mouth. She attempted to leave the area; not wishing to witness this portion of Zaken's memory, but found herself sped through time again.

Zaken stood on the deck of the Dreadful King with an angry expression as they sailed back into Devil's Isle. His ship went right into a cove of deep water, the same cove that Komugi recalled it being in even now, and a slab of rock slid down behind it. It reminded Komugi of parking a wagon in a shed, and she was impressed that Zaken had figured out how to rig the stone up in such a way to hide the Dreadful King from view.

He jumped from the ship onto the wooden walkway built over the water before it had even come to anchor completely, and stomped across it at a frightening pace. A skinny slave struggled with a boulder on it, and Zaken pushed him roughly off, the man letting out a surprised yelp as he fell into the water.

_"Giant's Treasure on an island?" Freya asked in Zaken's recent memory. She lay next to him on a bed, a heavy quilt tucked under her arms to keep her naked breasts from being exposed. "The Giants never would never have bothered with leaving their legacy on islands. They preferred them to be stored in great rooms protected with things created from their vast knowledge." _

Back in the present time of the memories, Zaken scowled and growled to himself under his breath. His first stop was the grassy knoll where the Giant, whom they discovered was named Glaki, sat with his family. Krantz sat on the rocks with him, talking in a strange language that was said to be the lost tongue of the Giants. Zaken looked around the knoll, his face skewing into deeper rage.

"Where is she?" he shouted. Krantz and Glaki looked at him curiously, but did not respond. Huffing in anger, Zaken spun on his heel, his coat flaring elegantly out behind him. He moved at a brisk pace back through the caverns and out onto a sandy ledge on the other side of the island, where Kurikups and his wives reclined.

"You lied to me; there is no Giant's Treasure!" Zaken snarled. Kurikups regarded him with feigned surprise, while the wife reclining against his chest snickered. Without pause Zaken drew one of his rapiers and stabbed the woman through her neck, pinning her to the ground. It would not kill her, only cause her great discomfort. Kurikups roared and stood, swiping at Zaken with a clawed hand. Zaken jumped away from it and pulled his remaining rapier from its sheath.

"I have no control over the Magus Kenishee, pirate! You do not take your anger out on me!" Kurikups snarled, plucking the sword from his wife's throat and throwing it back at him. "She left the island not long after you went on your journey. Giant's Treasure_ does_ exist, but where, I do not know." Zaken pulled his rapier from the sand and brandished it.

"You lie. I have spoken with the Ice Queen Freya, and she has told me of you, and the Magus Kenishee. You'll do anything just to return to your peaceful slumber, won't you? Including sending me to my death by searching out non-existent treasure!" Zaken spat. Kurikups raised his eyebrows in true surprise this time as he helped his wife back to her feet.

"So the Ice Queen has taken you as her lover, has she?" Kurikups stated, his voice wavering in amusement. "I suppose you'll be abandoning that pretty Arteias then, Freya is the jealous sort after all." Zaken lowered his swords and glared at the tall demon curiously.

"What are you talking about? Triage will remain with me no matter what." Zaken stated, his eyebrows drawing together.

"So you say, Grand Pirate. You haven't even noticed, have you? The Arteias are a creature not meant to be caged, even the Giants knew this long ago when they ruled the land. Your possessive nature of her is killing her." Zaken's face relaxed in a second, and his lips parted slightly. "If you are bored of her, I'd be glad to relieve you and take her as my wife. I'm fond of the soft creatures you see; it always pleases me to have another." Kurikups grinned. Without a word, Zaken spun and marched back into the Island.

"Triage is dying?" he muttered to himself under his breath. His eyes were wide in concerned fear, and he didn't even see the caverns as he walked through them. "Impossible, how could she die? Have I not been treating her well?" He felt as if his heart were being ripped from his chest at the thought of her dead, and tears, something he'd not experienced for a long time, pricked at his eyes.

"As if the brig is treating her well, have you been lying to yourself all of this time or something?" Komugi asked bitterly as she followed him. Zaken returned to the Dreadful King and hopped into brig. Triage sat weakly against the bars of her cell, carelessly rolling one of her feathers between her thumb and forefinger.

"Triage!" Zaken exclaimed, as if seeing her condition for the first time. She opened her eyes wearily and looked up at him. The sight of her broke Komugi's heart again, as did the tears that suddenly slid down the Arteias' cheeks. Zaken flung the cell door open quickly and fell to his knees beside her. "I'm so sorry." He said, his voice thick with tears. He clutched her to his chest and wept in sorrow, realizing what he had done. Triage stared into the air in surprise for a moment before lifting her arms and encircling his back. "I love you, I'm so sorry." Zaken whispered. Triage shut her eyes, a tiny smile gracing her lips and hugged him back. Komugi was propelled backwards out of the brig as the pair kissed and hugged each other in relief only to come to a stop at the top of the brig ladder to find Tillion staring at them with a scowl.


	15. Chapter 15

A month later

"Some pirates we are." Perry grumbled to Alvar as they repaired the side of the Nwalmaer. "We barely go out to plunder anymore. Have we already retired and the Captain not told us?"

"He just snuggles with that Arteias girl day in and day out; I knew she'd be bad news when he decided to take her from that island." Alvar griped around the nails in his mouth. He hammered a piece of lumber onto the ship. Tillion listened to them talk with an unreadable expression, and then slipped away.

He trudged the length of the Island until reaching the cove where the Dreadful King was docked. Not finding his Captain on board, he sighed bitterly and retraced his steps, knowing exactly where it was he'd find him.

It took him an hour to climb up the rock wall leading to the upper half of the island, and he arrived in a sourer mood than what he'd begun with. Sure enough Zaken was there on top of the ledge, sitting on a rock with Triage, watching the sun as it began to set. She had her head leaning on his chest, and they didn't hear Tillion arrive.

"I'm thinking of hanging up my hat and going landfall." Tillion could hear Zaken say. Triage lifted her head and looked at him in surprise. She looked decidedly healthier than she had before, and Komugi figured he'd been letting her out regularly now.

"But why? I thought you lived for this." Triage said in surprise. Zaken smiled at her warmly and kissed her forehead.

"This isn't the kind of life I want to share with you though. I'd rather be just a man." He said softly, caressing her cheek. "Unless that kind of person is undesirable to you?" Triage returned the warm smile and latched onto him in a hug.

"You are my desire; I could care less what you are." She whispered, hugging him fiercely. She pulled away from him with a giggle and resituated herself against him. "What kind of children would we have?" she wondered aloud. Zaken looked down at her with raised eyebrows.

"Children?" he repeated in surprise. Triage giggled and looked up at him.

"Of course, you do want some, don't you?" she asked. Unable to bear hearing any more, Tillion slid back down the cliff with a scowl before he heard Zaken's response.

"He can't disband the pirates, not until I get my own ship!" Tillion growled, brushing the rocks from his pants. "I've waited nine years for my own crew; I'm not going to let him settle down until I get it!" Tillion sat roughly on the rocks and began to think. "It's that Arteias girl's fault…she's softened him. I need Zaken to still be searching for that stupid treasure for my plans to work…what to do, what to do." Komugi felt her blood run cold as a dark smile crossed Tillion's face, and she looked up to where Zaken and Triage sat in worry.

The perfect time for Tillion's plan to be pushed into motion came in the form of a visit from the Ice Queen herself. Kylon, thinking Zaken planning something big since he did not plunder the coasts any more, also decided to attack the island thinking he'd get the 'jump' on him. He was driven away quickly and his ship sunk through the combined efforts of Freya and the Nwalmaer. Kylon and what remained of his crew swam to the shore, humiliated.

Triage sat in his quarters as he received the Ice Queen formally, happily reading a book. Tillion slipped in soundlessly and startled her with a tap on her shoulder. "Oh, Tillion, I didn't hear you come in." she said with a smile, shutting her book. Tillion lowered his eyes at her in a dark smile, and Triage tilted her head at him curiously.

"What? You cannot possibly be serious! You dare to choose an Arteias over me?" Freya demanded. Zaken had met her on the sandy knoll where Glaki lived, and she trembled in anger. "You foolish mortal, do you not realize how much of an honor it was for me to choose to bed you?" she snapped. Ice formed at her feet with her anger, but Zaken regarded it with disinterest.

"I am not your property, Freya. Our encounter was pleasant, but for me that's all it was." Zaken said simply, looking away from her. Her eyes widened and she dashed to his side to look at him in his eyes.

"You…you're not the Zaken I knew then." She breathed, backing away a few steps. "You are nothing more than a soft fool! A wolf tamed to a simple house pet! What has she done to you?" She lifted a hand to her mouth and sobbed daintily.

"I don't know what you're talking about; I'm quite satisfied with myself." Zaken responded coldly. Angry that her tears had no effect, Freya's head snapped up again.

"She will break your heart, that Arteias. They are a flighty breed, and tie themselves to no one. Sure she may be satisfied for the moment, but she is immortal, Pirate King. She will tire of you once you begin to show age, and leave you for the next pretty face that happens her way! You will end up dying old and alone!" Zaken's faced her quickly with this, as she had spoken the one word that would forever get his attention. "I'm sure when you're not around; she's bedding each and every one of your crew. Highly sexed creatures those Arteias, they take after the god that created them to an uncanny degree. Go see what she's doing, since she expects you to be receiving me." Zaken stared at her silently for a moment before spinning around and racing towards the cove where the Dreadful King was docked. Always made to follow Zaken in his memories, Komugi looked over her shoulder in time to see Freya smirking darkly and mouthing "Your turn, Tillion."

"You bitch! You schemed with him!" she cried as she was pulled away from the sandy knoll. She returned her attention to Zaken as he raced through the island, roughly pushing his crew and slaves out of the way. He burst into his cabin panting loudly from exertion, and his breath caught in his throat as he found Triage and Tillion on the floor. Triage looked at him with large, frightened eyes, tears streaming from them. Her dress had been hiked up around her torso, and Tillion had his pants around his ankles.

With a shout of rage Zaken tore Tillion from Triage and flung him against the side of the cabin. He hit a shelved wall, trinkets and puzzles crashing to the ground around him. With all the fear of a man being caught, he scrambled to his feet, pulling his trousers up as he raced out of the cabin.

"You have been betraying me all of this time!" Zaken snarled as Triage pushed herself shakily to her feet. She shook her head in fright, tears streaming from her face as Zaken angrily overturned a table. "How many more of my crew have you bedded? Ten? Fifty? Or have you just been sleeping with my Chief Mate behind my back all this time?"

"Don't yell at her, can't you see this is Tillion's doing? He was raping her!" Komugi cried, trying to hug Triage protectively. "Tell him!" she exclaimed, looking at the frightened Arteias. She only sobbed as Zaken destroyed more of his cabin.

"Zaken, I only love you!" Triage sobbed, backing away as Zaken advanced on her. His face was contorted into an insane rage, and she screamed and ducked from his reach as he groped for her. He chased her out of his quarters and onto the deck, where she stumbled into some of his crew in her desperate flight. She ran onto the bow of the ship and stood on it, gripping her dress in fear. "Please listen to me!" she sobbed.

Zaken only growled and advanced on her, and she inched away from him on the bow castle. She looked above her head desperately; despair plain on her face as she realized there wasn't enough room for her to fly. Her eyes widened into a look of shock as her feet slipped on the wooden pole. Before Zaken could grab her, she fell from the ship and hit a ledge where Zaken had piled treasure. She winced and had but a moment to look up in horror as one of the many booby traps, a guillotine blade, fell from a nook in the wall. Komugi cried out and looked away before she saw it hit, knowing that the Arteias girl would not survive.

Zaken leaned over the railing with one hand still outstretched, his eyes wide. He fell to his knees, still staring at Triage's body as his crew began to gather around him, letting out noises of shock. Zaken threw his head back and let out an anguished cry, the sound echoing and carrying out to where the Ice Queen still stood.

"Good work." She said, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Thank you, your highness." Tillion responded, his own smile a dark grin.

Months passed again, and Zaken, now more ragged than ever, returned to his search for the Giant's Treasure. He and a small portion of crew trudged through a marshland, heading towards what Komugi recognized as Cruma Tower. Much of the crew had lost faith in their captain over the months, whispering amongst themselves that he'd gone mad.

Kenishee stood at the foot of the tower with two of her servitors, and cried out in fear as she saw Zaken approaching. In one smooth movement Zaken pulled his pistol from his coat and shot the two servitors again, and then fired a third ball into Kenishee's back. She gasped and fell, her hood falling away from her head slightly to reveal thinning blood red hair. She scrambled across the moss as Zaken approached, blood pumping from her wound and mouth.

"No more games Kenishee, where is it?" Zaken demanded coldly, lifting the Magus up by her cowl. She gasped for air, and Komugi realized that the sound echoed her in the present. "Where is it?" he shouted now, shaking her. Unable to speak, Kenishee merely pointed a shaking hand up to the tower and gasped for air. "You'd better be telling the truth this time." He growled, dropping her. She fell heavily to her side and laid there gasping like a fish out of water as Zaken and his crew entered the Tower of Giant's lore.

The crew was sorely unprepared for what beasts remained inside the tower, and many died at the constructed creatures' claws or fell over the sides of the tower into the gray abyss that surrounded the floors. Zaken pushed on like a man possessed, cutting through the monsters as if they were no more than toys. He reached a strange room devoid of all life except a strange, two-headed beast that Komugi instantly identified as Premo Prime.

"The treasure, give it to me!" Zaken demanded, pointing one of his rapiers at the creature. What remained of his crew limped in behind him, some supporting others on their shoulders. Premo Prime's heads looked at each other without expression, and then back to Zaken.

"BEEP INTRUDER DETECTED. INITIATING AUTO PROTECT SEQUENCE." A strange, circular construction with a glowing green ball hovering in the center of it said.

"Core, shut down, Master has returned!" One of Premo's heads stated happily. The two-headed giant then knelt respectfully in front of Zaken, tears of joy falling from all four of its eyes. "Your wish is my command Master, but what treasure are you looking for? You took all of it with you when you left before." Komugi's lips parted in surprise as she realized that the Premo Prime of the present time was in Innadril searching for Zaken!

"Don't play stupid!" Zaken snarled, thrusting the point of his rapier underneath one of Premo's heads. "The treasure that makes one immortal, give it to me!" Premo stared at him with large eyes for a moment before slowly pushing himself back to his feet.

"But Master said that it was unfinished before." He said sadly, walking back to the Core. "But if that is what master wants, that is what master will get…" Premo pressed one of the many buttons adorning the Core's surface, and a panel popped open. From inside of it he pulled the slab that Komugi recalled lying on the floor of his cabin when she was being held there.

"That was the treasure?" she said in disbelief, recalling how protective Zaken had been of it. Premo knelt before the Pirate once again and held out the block with reverence. Zaken took it and stared at it greedily, his eyes shining with madness.

"What are your orders now, Master?" Premo asked as Zaken turned. Zaken's eye twitched as he glanced over his shoulder at the two-headed creature.

"Wait here, and I'll come back for you." He said simply before waving his crew back out the door.

"And if master doesn't return, should Premo come looking for him?" Premo called.

"Do what you like." Zaken said distractedly. Premo Prime smiled happily as Zaken disappeared, and that piece of the puzzle was laid into place for Komugi.

Three months later in Zaken's memories, Komugi sat on the couch watching as Zaken sat at his desk, pondering the glowing slab. He had read the words that had appeared to her upon first bringing it back to the Dreadful King, but nothing had happened. Now he sat pondering it day in and out, hardly ever leaving his ship. His crew had become restless, and attempted to go out several times on their own to plunder. Without Zaken's leadership however, they failed mightily, and the Nwalmaer had fallen to Aden's battleships. The remains had been instilled inside of the Island, and now the survivors of both attacks shuffled around the cavern or made fixes to the Shepard's Flute.

"Sir, this letter just came from a Gracian messenger." Tillion said as he came in to the quarters unannounced. "I took the liberty of reading it sir, since you're distracted. They want to use what's left of our men and fleet to be used for military purposes in an attack against Aden." Zaken stared transfixed at the Giant's treasure, his eyes unfocused. "Sir!" Tillion shouted, slamming his hands on the desk to get his attention.

"I received a similar letter a week ago." Zaken said in a distracted voice. "I've already returned my response to them; the men should prepare for war." Tillion's eyes bugged out of his head with this news.

"You've turned us over to the very dogs we sought to fight against?" Tillion exclaimed, not believing what he was hearing. "That treasure has you bewitched Zaken, this isn't right! We're pirates, not military men!" He sighed in frustration as Zaken didn't respond, and turned on his heel to exit the cabin.

"Triage…" Komugi heard Zaken whimper, and she looked over her shoulder to find him covering his face.

"What'd he say, Chief Mate?" one of the remaining pirates asked him in a hushed voice. Tillion kicked a cargo box angrily, the group gathered in the grave cove of the Derech Eretz. On Zaken's orders, the slaves had caused a landslide to fill in the open end of the cove, sealing it off from the outside world and creating a humid cavern.

"He's turning us over to the Gracian army." Tillion said in disgust, leaning heavily on the slime-covered rocks. There were shouts of disbelief amongst the men, and a few began to fight each other in anger.

"Has he gone mad?" one shouted above the rest. Tillion stood straight and pulled on his tunic roughly.

"His lover is no longer the sea, gentlemen, but that cursed slab of rock that he grabbed from Cruma Tower. He's abandoned us to it!" Tillion snapped. Despite his angry outer appearance, his insides quivered in joy and excitement. This was it! This was the chance he had been searching for!

"I don't want to work for Gracian scum, I was born in Gludio!" another's voice came. "I'd kill myself before letting some army take control of me!" There were shouts of approval with this.

"You should lead us Chief Mate!" another cried. The crew agreed with this, and Tillion tried his best to contain his smirk.

"What of the captain though, enamored with the Giant's Treasure or no, you know he's not going to stand down easily." Tillion shouted, his voice giving away his excitement.

"Death to the Grand Pirate!" the men chorused.

"What are you talking about? Zaken has fallen ill; we need to merely talk to him, not mutiny against him!" Perry shouted, coming into the cavern. The crowd gathered about Tillion began to jeer.

"Continue sucking on the Captain's dick like a mother's teat Perry, but we're through with his madness!" a pirate shouted from Tillion's group.

"You'll have to get through us first, you son of a bow-legged whore!" one behind Perry yelled. The two sides came together with that and began fighting in the cavern. Knives were brought out skin sliced open, the blue water dyed red.

"Gotta warn Cap'n!" Krantz, who had been hiding in the shadows said, and lumbered off. Komugi, frightened for Zaken's well-being, raced off after the Giant, only to find the caverns fading away into darkness.

"No! I have to warn him!" she cried, swinging her arms as if to wipe away the darkness. "Zaken!" she shouted, gasping for air as she ran. "ZAKEN!" she screamed, the world fading away from her. She fell to her knees and wept bitterly, angry and frustrated with everything that Freya had forced her to watch.

A blue light bubbled to life ahead of her, and Komugi raised her head to it. She scrambled to her feet and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as the familiar form of Eva stepped from the light. She was the 'adult' Eva, and regarded Komugi without expression.

"I heard your prayer." She said, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"I didn't pray." Komugi retorted, still angry at the goddess for trying to drown her back in the Garden.

"Your soul did, prayed to me and my brother Sayha." Eva responded, lifting her eyebrows. Komugi frowned and turned her head slightly, wondering why her 'soul' would launch a prayer at those two gods. "I've been watching you for some time now, trying to find a way to save the Grand Pirate's soul. It's admirable, but you're going about it the wrong way."

"Really, then how would I go about doing it?" Komugi asked bitterly, folding her arms across her chest. "How am I to know I'm really conferring with a god and not just experiencing some bizarre side effect from that black slug as well?" Eva shrugged lightly, the motion pricking Komugi's temper.

"You'll just have to hope that you are." Eva said. Before Komugi could respond with a colorful retort, Eva continued. "The only way to cure the Grand Pirate is to transfuse him with some of my mother's holy blood. It will stay the Giant's Curse and create a new Zaken." Komugi frowned and glanced away from the goddess in a skeptical manner.

"Right. And how does one go about getting the blood of Einhasad?" Komugi scoffed bitterly, shifting on her feet. Eva's expression lightened slightly and she pressed a hand over her heart.

"From here." She said simply. "But there is a condition to my giving you my mother's blood." She held up a finger at Komugi's surprised expression. "You must enter into a pact with me. Once you die, your soul will not join your family and loved ones in the abyss. Instead you must serve me as a fairy for 1000 years." Komugi pondered this seriously, but couldn't see the negative side effect to it.

"After 1000 years are up I'll just return to the abyss, won't I? Komugi shrugged. "No biggie, sounds like a doable deal." Eva's eyelids lowered as she smiled, turning the expression sinister.

"You do not realize the cycle of the abyss, do you?" she asked, holding up her finger. Her nail grew into a claw upon it, and she quickly drove it into her chest, above her heart. In her other hand she held a crystal bottle, and gold-laced blood poured out of the wound into it. "Serving me for 1000 years…you risk not reincarnating with your family and loved ones to be with them again. You don't remain in the abyss forever when you die—Mother only allowed my siblings and father to create so many souls." Komugi's eyes widened with this news, and she suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

"I'll be ok." She said firmly, drawing up to her full height. "When that time comes, I'll deal with it then. I accept your terms." Her smirk not wavering, Eva healed her wound and held up the crystal bottle. She shut her eyes and concentrated for a moment, and a black steam hissed and poured out of the mouth of the bottle. When the steam cleared, Eva's blood had turned a brilliant, pure gold.

"I have purified my father's blood from my blood. All that is left is the creating blood of Einhasad." Her hand darted out and grabbed Komugi by the back of her hair. The girl gasped as her head was forced backwards. Eva stood over her suddenly, and smiled darkly as she poured Einhasad's blood down her throat. "Never spill your own blood in a holy place, or my mother will find you and destroy your very essence." She heard Eva warn in a singsong voice. A light filled her vision and she let out a gurgling scream, the goddess of creation's blood hot and scorching as it filled her stomach.


	16. Chapter 16

Reality

Back in the Ice Queen's castle, Komugi suddenly gagged and heaved. The black ooze poured out of her nose and mouth as she vomited. She spit in disgust at the taste of it before another heave hit her body.

"Komugi!" she heard a voice shout. Her vision was still clouded, and she heaved and vomited again. "Oh disgusting!" the voice said bitterly. She coughed and spit once again and felt someone beating at the ice encasing her arms.

"Ryonai?" she asked in a weary voice as her eyes focused. Ryonai flashed his trademark cocky smile before returning to pounding on the ice. Shizuka stood on Komugi's other side with an arrow, a look of determination on her face as she chipped away.

"No get her legs, her arm should come free once I get this side loose." Ryonai commanded his girlfriend. Shizuka stared at him blankly for a moment before turning her attention on the ice. Finding that the arrow chipping went nowhere, Shizuka sighed in frustration and took a few steps back.

"Stand back." She said in a voice more serious than the one she usually spoke in. Ryonai glanced at her in surprise, as if it were unexpected for him even. She shut her eyes and held her hands out, a ball of wind flying from her. It smacked into the ice and chipped a bigger chunk off than what her arrow had been doing.

"Good work Shizuka!" Ryonai said happily. Shizuka cast him a thin-lipped smile for a moment before returning to her spell casting. Komugi was freed within minutes, and she fell limply to the ground. Ryonai caught her before she hit the black mess that she'd vomited up, and sat her against the wall. "Drink this." He commanded, handing her a white potion. Komugi drank it eagerly, grateful to have the black oozes' taste from her mouth. "What happened? Are you ok now?" he asked in concern.

"I'm ok, she was just torturing me." Komugi coughed, handing him the empty beaker. "Where are Sprissa and Broud? They were caught with me." Ryonai helped her to her feet as she struggled to stand, holding the empty potion beaker with one hand.

"I found them a few hours ago; they're back at Rafforty's cabin." Ryonai assured her. "What about you, how'd you piss off the Ice Queen so bad to actually get inside the castle? You steal her boyfriend or something?" Komugi's eyes narrowed into thin lines as Ryonai smacked the nail on the head.

"Something like that." She said flatly.

"My how perceptive." Freya's voice came. The trio spun quickly to find Freya seated upon her throne, staring at them in amusement. "Such a handsome friend you have, I can't wait to feel his muscles myself." Freya purred as she stood, her eyes on Ryonai.

"I'm taken lady." Ryonai growled. "Tell her, Shizuka!" he hissed. Shizuka blinked at him with large eyes, and Komugi was sure she could hear wind whistling through her head.

"Taken where?" she asked cluelessly, and Ryonai groaned. Komugi stepped forward with a dark scowl, pulling her dual swords from their sheaths.

"Thanks for releasing me Ryonai, but if you don't mind, I have some unfinished business with this bitch." Komugi said darkly, glaring at the smirking queen before her. Freya laughed haughtily and waved her hand, a long, ice-covered sword appearing in it.

"Komugi, you're a Prophet, you can't possibly hope to take this psycho bitch on…" Ryonai said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I promise to call you if I need help, just let me do this alone." Komugi said, facing the Ice Queen.

"Foolishly brave, girl. You didn't enjoy seeing Zaken and my love for each other?" she chuckled.

"I didn't see anything love about it, just a controlling wench who has to turn a man insane to keep him with her." Komugi snarled, taking up a stance. Freya's eyes widened in surprise, suddenly seeing Zaken in the girl's form.

"So…he taught you." She whispered, as if she couldn't believe it. Jealous rage contorted her pristine face, and she held the sword out in her own stance. "I'll be pleased when I see your blood freeze upon my floor you flower-tressed tramp!" She swung with her words, her voice a hateful snarl. Komugi blocked them and slid backwards on the ice, mentally cursing as she realized she wasn't going to have a good foothold. She didn't have long to ponder how to remedy this, as the Ice Queen flew at her again, her sword growing as she swung it into a scythe. Komugi bent herself backwards with wide eyes, the blade catching a few strands of hair that flew with her movement and cutting them off.

She lifted both of her swords into an x-shape as the queen swung the scythe again, blocking it from hitting her. Sparks flew from her blades, and ice began to form on them. Growling at the dark smirk Freya had, Komugi ripped the freezing swords apart, knocked the scythe blade away briefly and slashed both swords at Freya's midsection. It was the queen's turn to back up in surprise this time, and gaped in shock as the tip of Komugi's sword caught the midsection of her dress and sliced a cut into it. She hissed through her teeth and swung again, Komugi blocking each swing with one blade while the other attempted to cut the Queen again.

Ryonai watched as they moved across the throne room in their fight, amazed at how well Komugi could hold her own against the millennia-powerful Ice Queen. "That Zaken must be something, to have taught her this well." He breathed in awe. He blinked hard and rubbed his eyes as the pair passed a pillar. He must've been tired, because for a moment Komugi no longer looked like a pink-haired prophet, but a coral-tressed girl with large wings on her back. When he looked back again she was Komugi still, and he shook his head.

Freya's expression grew desperate as she realized the girl had been taught well, and swung without thought, trying anything to bring her off her feet. Komugi hadn't managed to land a return blow upon her, but at the same time Freya couldn't land a scratch upon her.

"There's no possible way we're evenly matched!" she said, her voice hysterical and raspy from exertion. Komugi smirked once at her as she blocked the scythe from coming down on her. Freya blinked and her eyes widened as for a fleeting moment she thought she saw Triage in Komugi. The faltering gave Komugi the moment she needed, and she slid from the hold and stabbed outward, her sword going through the queen's stomach.

Freya inhaled a gasping breath and stumbled backwards quickly, one hand to the wound. Her blood froze as it left her body, leaving a red ice trail down her white dress. Komugi advanced upon her with a cold expression, and stood over her as Freya fell onto her back. Freya looked at her in horror as Komugi held the point of her sword under her nose, and drew in a shaky breath.

"How can you be here Triage? You should be in the abyss, weeping over your fate!" Freya gasped fearfully. In front of her she no longer saw Komugi, but Triage wearing Komugi's armor, glaring at her coldly. Komugi backed away a few steps, shocked at her words. "HELP ME!" Freya cried, reaching for the ceiling of her throne room. "My heart…she has punctured my heart!" There was a whoosh, and Komugi's eyes widened as the undead form of Tillion swooped into the castle and grabbed her around her waist.

"HEY!" Ryonai shouted, as Tillion kicked off from the floor and back out. Ignoring the queen, he and Shizuka took off in his wake, shouting at him to put Komugi down.

Now alone, Freya wept bitterly as her blood continued to pour out of her body and freeze. The Gargoyle that had been following Ryonai and Shizuka appeared in the throne room now and knelt beside his queen. He lifted her head lovingly and wiped the iced blood from her mouth.

"Oh Everly, my wonderfully faithful Captain of the Guard." Freya said in relief, her clouding eyes seeing him. She raised a hand to his face and touched the cold, stone-like skin. "Avenge me in death, if not out of your loyalty for me then for the love you profess…"

"No, your majesty." Everly, the Gargoyle that had once been an Elf stated sadly. "You will not die, and I will not follow those humans to kill them either." He held a clawed hand over her wound, and a golden glow surrounded it.  
"Insolence, your love is untrue!" Freya exclaimed, her eyes large. Everly shook his head sadly and caressed her cheek with the clawed fingers that supported her head.

"My love is true, your highness, and my heart thinks of only you. But please, leave your fascination with Zaken alone now. That girl's soul crossed time to be with him, I think they're meant to be." He said, trying to plead with her with his eyes.

"Then I did not imagine it?" Freya whispered, tears of despair filling her eyes.

"If you did, then it was something we both imagined." He responded, lifting the hand that healed her wound to push the tears from her face before they froze. Freya shut her eyes as he returned to healing her, and sighed in quiet defeat.

"Let me go you bastard!" Komugi snarled, beating on Tillion. She had ripped most of his skin off of his bones with her fingers as she clawed at him, but still he flew without even wincing. "I saw what you did to Zaken! I saw how you caused Triage's death!"

"So she showed you everything, did she?" Tillion stated more than asked, tightening his grip around her waist. The wind was squeezed from her in the movement and she returned to struggling. "Be happy little Miss Komugi, you're about to witness history in a tangible first-hand account."

"What are you…" Komugi began, but didn't get to finish as Tillion dropped her. She yelped as she fell through the air and landed on the familiar sandy knoll that she had woken on her first time on Devil's Isle. Tillion landed in front of her, a dark smirk on his face reminiscent to the one he had given Triage. Komugi scrambled to her feet and reached for her swords. She cursed as she realized she'd dropped them while struggling with Tillion. He approached her with measured steps, and Komugi backed away from him until her back hit the smooth, pointed teeth-rocks surrounding the knoll.

"It's a pity Freya failed, but that leaves more fun for me." Tillion grinned, coming in close to her. Komugi glared up at him defiantly, breathing angrily through her nose. "Since he cursed us to live as undead my favorite past time has been to cause Zaken as much emotional pain as possible, you see. He could've just easily gone on his merry way as a vampire but no, he had to turn each and every one of us into a zombie. Do you know how humiliating and painful it is to have your skin ripped from your body, only you can't die because of some stupid Giant's curse?" Tillion asked, his partially skinned face contorting with anger. "That's how he killed me you know, ripped my skin right from my body before drinking my blood."

"He only did that? Wow he went easy on you." Komugi seethed, not blinking as she glared. "The amount of what you did to him over the years could never be avenged by just that." Tillion took a few steps backwards, as if shocked that she didn't sympathize for him.

"This all could've been prevented, if he'd only given me my own ship, my own crew! Is that too much to ask for?" Tillion cried.

"After you tried your hardest to prevent him from mutinying in the first place, I think you got more than what you deserved. Zaken's smart, he keeps his friends close, but his enemies closer." Komugi said with a dark grin. Tillion looked at her in horror at her words.

"There's no way he could've known!" he shouted, a spear materializing in the air next to him. He launched it at Komugi and she jumped as it embedded itself in the stone next to her ear. He appeared next, pressing his bony body against Komugi's with a lustful grin. "I'll enjoy seeing Zaken's face when he finds us together on this knoll. He'll be here soon you know, it's the time of Anniversary." Komugi's eyes, which had been shut in disgust, snapped open. She pushed Tillion away roughly and kicked him as hard as she could in his groin. He fell to the sand with a howl, his hands between his legs.

"Do you even have the correct equipment to even be trying that anymore?" Komugi snapped brushing herself off with a disgusted face. She began kicking him repeatedly with the creeping feeling she still felt as she recalled the press of his body. "Don't ever touch me like that again! I'm going to have to scrub myself with salt to get this feeling off my skin!" she shuddered as she recalled it, and then began kicking him once more. By the time she backed away he was a broken, crumpled mess, and foam bubbled from his mouth. "What is 'Anniversary' by the way?" she asked him, lifting him up by his stringy hair. His scalp stretched and pulled free, the skin snapping like plastic. "GROSS!" she screeched, dropping his scalp and rubbing her hand vigorously on her dress. She stomped into the cave, determined to just find Zaken and ask him herself.

"Anniversary…happens…every ten years." A wooden voice came. Komugi stopped in the massive treasure room just beyond the rusted iron gate that blocked the cave from the tunnels. Sairon stood next to her, staring at her with her glowing red eyes. "Anniversary…everyone goes…back to…the past. Events…replayed…curse must reset. Almost time to…begin."

"You mean Zaken has to relive the night of the mutiny?" Komugi asked in disbelief. To her despair Sairon nodded and pointed in the direction of the Dreadful King. Komugi bolted in the direction of it without another word. "Zaken has to live through that again?" she repeated, feeling a stabbing pain in her heart.

Out on the knoll, Tillion recovered face suddenly and grinned into the night air. "On second thought…I can use that little spitfire." He thought to himself. "If she's here for Anniversary…then perhaps…I can change history just a little bit." He chuckled darkly to himself and then winced in pain at the condition of his body. "I really hate that girl." He said in a strained voice.

Komugi raced through the tunnels blindly, trying not to notice that the zombified pirates had stopped moving, and the Doll Bladers had fallen to the ground, unmoving. She raced across the long wooden suspension bridge as quickly as she could, and past the door that led to Zaken's quarters.

"Zaken!" she exclaimed breathlessly as she burst into his cabin. He turned from the window he stood in front of to look at her in shock. She panted a few times, a happy smile on her face. She didn't know why her heart suddenly felt full at that moment, it was an odd feeling she'd never experienced before.

"What are you doing here, leave!" Zaken exclaimed angrily, pointing towards the door.

"No, I won't! I went through a lot since I met you, and I demand you apologize properly for it!" she responded. His mouth dropped open in surprise, not expecting such a reaction from her. "Do you have any idea what Freya did to me all because of you? And here you sit going 'woe is me' while I'm getting attacked by demons and freezing my ass off all because I care enough about you to try and find a way to make your sadness end!" She panted at the end of her rant, secretly feeling as stunned as the look on Zaken's face at what she just said. "Did I just say that?" she asked herself in wonder, looking away from him for a moment.

"Komugi…" he began, and then stumbled with a strange choked noise. His hand hit his desk in an attempt to support himself, and Komugi dashed to his side. "You shouldn't be here; I don't want you to see what's to happen." He said, looking at her in desperate sadness. "Leave now, please!"

"Freya's already shown me most of it, I won't leave now." Komugi said stubbornly, gripping his coat tightly.

"Why you stubborn little…" Zaken began, but then let his retort fade at the sight of tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry…for everything that I've done to you." He said, shutting his eyes. "I found myself feeling alive again with you…with the thoughts of you…I didn't want the same thing that happened to Triage to happen to you."

"But it won't, I'm too stubborn to just roll over. I bite back." Although Komugi spoke in complete seriousness, Zaken laughed at her and put a hand on her arm.

"Although I have no room to ask after all that has happened…may I kiss you once before the Anniversary begins? I want to kiss you as a human, not as a vampire." He asked softly. Komugi's lips parted in surprise, and then she nodded, giving him a thin smile. He placed a hand on her cheek and lowered his head to her, but a breath before their lips touched he disappeared, and Komugi stumbled.

"Zaken?" she called, looking around the cabin. There was a breathing noise, and Komugi turned back around to find Zaken sitting in his chair, staring at the Giant's Treasure in deep thought. "Zaken…" Komugi began, and reached for him. Her eyes widened in surprise as her hand went right through him. "Oh come on, not again! I went through this long enough!" she said angrily, looking to the ceiling of his cabin. Both she and Zaken looked towards the window at the same time as the sounds of shouts met her ears. She rushed to the window the same time as he did. It was now that Komugi realized the window of the Dreadful King was bewitched to show what the captain's window of the Derech Eretz could see. She wondered why she never realized that before.

Below in the cavern, Tillion's group of mutinous pirates went racing into the back tunnels with triumphant shouts, leaving the bodies of the slaughtered to float face-down in the shallow pool. "What is going on?" Zaken wondered, narrowing his eyes.

"Cap'n! Gotta get out!" Krantz suddenly shouted, stomping into the cabin. "Mutiny afoot!"

"What?" Zaken asked in a disbelieving voice. He grabbed the slab from his desk and stowed it in an inner pocket of his coat before taking off after his large friend. Komugi raced after them, scared for Zaken's safety even though she knew she could do nothing at this point. _How am I supposed to infuse him with Einhasad's blood now? I really hate the gods! _She thought bitterly.

"Krantz protect, get Cap'n to safety!" Krantz shouted as they thundered across the suspension bridge. They skidded to a halt just as they entered a large cavern, Zaken's eyes widening as the party of mutinous pirates stormed in shouting.

"There he is men, don't let him get away!" Tillion shouted, pointing to Zaken.

"Tillion, you traitorous scum!" Zaken snarled, pulling his swords from where they were sheathed at his sides and dashing for his Chief Mate.

"Cut off his balls!" Komugi shouted in encouragement as Zaken and Tillion faced off, swords versus spear. Krantz let out a mighty roar as pirates began crawling over him like bugs, and tried to rip them from his body. Komugi took a few steps back in worry as the giant's eyes rolled up into his head as bloodlust took over. He began flinging the pirates off of his body without thought, smashing heads and crushing chests with just his fists.

"Kill Tillion!" Krantz howled, and charged right for Zaken.

"No, that's not Tillion!" Komugi cried.

"Don't look." She heard Zaken murmur. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked at Zaken in shock. He gave no motion of noticing her, and yelped as Krantz grabbed him around his waist. Komugi screamed and covered her face with her hands as Krantz ripped Zaken in two, like a bully does to a girl's doll. Things that Komugi didn't want to think about fell to the ground as Krantz continued to rip Zaken into pieces. Komugi fitted herself into the corner of the cavern with her hands pressed firmly over her eyes, whimpering every time she heard something wet hit the rock floor. There was a moment of silence as Krantz panted heavily, his lust fading.

"Zaken is dead!" one of the crew cried happily. This began a chorus of "Captain Tillion!" from the remaining pirates. Realizing what he had done, Krantz began to howl in misery, sobbing over the remains of his captain. With that the mutiny was over, and the crew that survived returned to the Dreadful King to celebrate their new captain.

Komugi remained in the corner with her hands over her eyes, sobbing along with Krantz. There was the sound of shifting, and a piece of Zaken that had fallen near Komugi suddenly began to slide across the floor. She lowered her hands hesitantly, and then gasped.

Zaken's body was drawing back together, fitting all of the pieces that Krantz had ripped apart to its proper place. She stood slowly as his body rose up stiffly, his re-formed arms fitting back onto his body. He stood headless for a moment and stretched his arms as if testing them.

"Cap'n?" Krantz breathed in shock. Zaken's re-formed head slid across the ground and up his back until it came to rest properly on his shoulders. The look of death that his face had been frozen in left as Zaken closed his jaw and stretched his cheeks by wiggling it. He smacked his lips as if thirsty, and looked around the cavern as if seeing it for the first time. "Cap'n you're alive!" Krantz said happily, standing up to embrace his friend. Zaken turned his head in a snapping motion and held a hand out, placing it on Krantz's forehead. The giant stared at him with large eyes and then began to scream in pain as his body warped into the ogre shape that Komugi was familiar with. Krantz collapsed to the ground, and Zaken walked off in the direction of the pirates without a word. Komugi dashed off after him after casting Krantz a look of pity.

She followed after him as he killed the slaves and the crew that wandered the tunnels, slaughtering friend and foe alike. "Zaken, please stop." Komugi pleaded weakly, not wanting to watch the curse reset. "You can change it, please stop!" she begged.

Aboard the Dreadful King, Tillion and the crew that had followed him share a large keg of rum that they'd dug up from Zaken's storage. They laughed and joked amongst themselves, pleased with their successful mutiny.

"I'll have to thank that big oaf later for helping us!" Tillion grinned as he took a swig. "Although it would've been easier than getting a whore to spread her legs to kill him myself!"

"Would you like to test out that theory?" Zaken's voice came, echoing about the cavern. Tillion and the men dropped their mugs and backed away from the edge of the ship in fear as Zaken rose up over it.

"Demon!" one of the men breathed, crossing himself with the sign of Einhasad.

"Tillion, you brought out my best rum in celebration I see. I do hope it's in delight of the Giant's magic working, and not because you think I'm dead." Zaken said in a scathing tone, taking measured steps forward as his men backed up.

"He's just a ghost, men, kill him!" Tillion shouted, turning on heel and racing off of the ship. Wanting to prove their loyalty, the crew drew their swords and ran at Zaken with a shout. The Grand Pirate smirked at them darkly, and the men skidded to a halt as not only Zaken's dual rapiers materialized in the air, but five identical rapiers as well. They spun in a circle at his back, and Zaken chuckled darkly. With the sound of his voice they flew at the crew, and the sounds of their screams met Tillion's ears as he stumbled across the suspension bridge.

Now not magically connected to Zaken's memories, Komugi panted as she raced after Tillion, knowing that Zaken would be after him next. "Slow down you spaghetti-legged bastard!" she wheezed. "God I can't wait for you to die!" she grumbled as she pushed herself onward.

"Tillion…" Zaken's voice came from the air. It sounded as if it filled the entire cavern that Tillion ran through, and he whimpered in fear. He stumbled over the bodies of the dead as he ran, and screamed in fear as one of them moaned and reached for him. He looked around desperately as the curse began to take effect on those Zaken had already killed, his former crew now mindless zombies.

"Stay away from me!" Tillion screeched in a high pitched voice, and ran with his head covered through the tunnels. He emerged through a door and found himself on yet another sandy knoll blocked by tall smooth rocks and the jagged teeth-rocks. Zaken chuckled darkly as Tillion pressed himself against the rocks, his eyes darting this way and that in fear. Komugi's eyes widened as she saw Tillion draw a dagger that looked more like a metal spike from his shirt and brandished it behind his leg despite the fear on his face.

Zaken materialized in a wisp of smoke and looked at Tillion with a darkened expression. He approached Tillion slowly, who whimpered and slid across the rock wall. "He's got a dagger, was that part of the past?" Komugi asked in fear, trying to tug on Zaken's coat to get his attention. Her hand went through him and she made a noise of frustration.

"I didn't mean to do it Captain…the men, they forced me into it! They said that if I didn't do what they wanted, they'd kill me!" Tillion whimpered in a high-pitched voice. Zaken only regarded him coldly, and then moved swiftly, grabbing him around his waist as if he were to remove his trousers and shirt. He grabbed his skin instead, and Komugi gagged and looked away as Zaken skinned the man in one movement. He screamed in agony, and Komugi looked back in time to see the glint of his dagger as he shifted it for a better stabbing position.

"No don't!" Komugi cried, dashing between the two men. She faced Zaken, and pushed on his chest, finding that her fingers no longer went through him. Instead of Tillion, Zaken bit her, and Tillion's dagger went into her side.

"You stupid bitch!" Komugi heard Tillion screech as her eyes clouded over in the familiar pain from Zaken's bite. The world went white again, and she wondered what kind of dream she would have now.

No memory emerged this time however, and Komugi found herself remaining in the void of white. She heard sobbing, and she spun around looking for its source. Ahead of her, crouched to the ground, was the unmistakable form of Zaken as a child. There was a broken puzzle in front of him, and as Komugi neared she realized it was a puzzle of his Ol Mahum playmate.

Komugi knelt beside him and began to put the pieces together, knowing that if she could put the Ol Mahum together, Zaken wouldn't be sad anymore. Zaken's crying began to calm as he watched her, and he hiccupped once. The pieces of the puzzle were ridden with splinters, and Komugi noticed Zaken's own fingers were bleeding from his attempts at putting it together. Still she continued despite the fact that her fingers hurt her and were bleeding themselves.

As she placed the last piece of the puzzle together, the pieces fused together and the Ol Mahum sat up, shaking its head as if it had been merely knocked out. Komugi smiled at Zaken, touched by the look of joy that spread on his face.

"It's ok to be afraid of dying, but it's not the end. We all see each other again some day." Komugi said gently, wiping his face with her knuckles. "You don't need giant's curses to survive death any more. Just live as long as you can and make sure it's full of everything you want to do, and then death seems like a proper finish, in the end." Zaken's tiny face skewed into a joyful kind of sadness, and he latched onto Komugi's neck in a fierce hug. She smiled softly and patted his back, letting him cry out the rest of his fear and sadness.

Komugi awoke again, lying on the sandy knoll, and looked up swiftly as Tillion let out a gurgling scream. She winced and looked away again, trying to swallow against the lump in her throat. Zaken was feeding from him; Eva's magic didn't work.

Fingers gently brushed the tears from her cheeks, and Komugi opened her eyes again to find another Zaken lying on the knoll next to her. Her lips parted in surprise and she looked between the Zaken feeding, and the Zaken on the ground, not understanding.

"Triage, you came back." Zaken whispered, smiling at her like a child.

"I couldn't just leave you." She found herself whispering in response. Zaken shut his eyes and succumbed to unconsciousness, his smile never wavering. Komugi stood and looked down at him in wonder, then up to the sky, suddenly feeling as if she could fly through it.


	17. Chapter 17

Heine

Komugi sat next to the bed that Zaken slept upon, in the room she'd rented out in Heine. She'd sent word to Ryonai, who was in Schuttgart, that she was safe, and she had someone she wanted him to meet with her. She figured he'd be there within a few days, always eager to meet a prospective addition to Haibane.

She played with his large hat curiously, turning it this way and that as she tried to figure out how it was made. Feeling playful, she plopped it on her head, and pouted as it engulfed her head down to the bridge of her nose. She felt another presence enter the inn and lifted the hat up slightly to find Eva standing next to her.

"Very good." Eva complimented in a soft voice, looking at Zaken.

"I suppose I have you to thank." Komugi said bitterly, letting the hat fall back over her face.

"Only if you truly want to. Your gratitude shall be shown to me when you become my servant." Eva said simply. Komugi sighed and lifted the hat from her head and placed it on her lap.

"About that whole reincarnation thing….you weren't serious were you?" Komugi asked, looking up at the goddess. Eva tilted her head at her in expressionless curiosity.

"Of course I was, I do not make it a habit to lie to mortals." Eva said, blinking sweetly. Komugi frowned and chewed the inside of her lip, trying not to think the thoughts that attempted to slide through. "There is one problem though…because he drank from you while the curse was resetting itself; he still retains some of his vampiric tendencies. He will have to feed occasionally."  
"What was I supposed to do? Tillion was going to try and change history!" Komugi snapped, sitting upright in her seat. Eva shrugged lightly again, and Komugi's temper lit.

"Make sure it's only you he drinks from, otherwise he'll re-merge with the ghost left on the island and return to being as he was before." Eva stated, turning away from the bed.

"What?" Komugi exclaimed as the goddess disappeared. "I gotta let him bite me from now on? No way, I'll turn into a raisin! Are you listening to me, Eva!" Komugi shouted. Zaken stirred with the sound of her voice, and Komugi whipped back around quickly.

"Hi." He said with a weak smile, and then smacked his lips, trying to wet his dry mouth.

"How are you doing? Are you hungry?" Komugi asked reflexively, and then winced as she recalled Eva's words.

"I'm a little thirsty…" Zaken admitted, and Komugi froze. "Got any water?" She relaxed and then smiled.

"Sure, let me go get some." She said, standing. Zaken struggled to push himself up with her, and she put a concerned hand on his chest. "You should rest." She said gently.

"I'd like to get out; it's been a long time since I've seen the sun." Zaken smiled.

"But…" Komugi began, but was silenced as Zaken placed a finger on her lips.

"I'll be ok." He assured her, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Komugi helped him shed his heavy coat and dress in a soft cotton shirt, trying to disguise him from the rest of the city. He leaned heavily on her as they exited the inn, and Komugi glanced up at him in worry as they stepped out into the sunlight. He winced as the light hit his eyes, and shielded his face from it, but did not burst into flame or melt, as she heard vampires did when faced with the light.

"That feels wonderful." Zaken said, sighing. Komugi's face broke into a smile, and she turned a determined expression to the walkway ahead of them.

"The water is this way." Komugi said cheerfully, helping him walk. Zaken glanced down at her and squeezed her shoulder in an affectionate manner.

"I can't remember a lot of things…" Zaken admitted later, as he and Komugi sat on the edge of a walkway and dangled their feet in the water. Komugi had purchased them both iced milk on a stale cookie cone to eat while watching the water. Komugi had nearly finished hers, but Zaken seemed baffled on how to eat his.

"I'm sure that'll return in time." Komugi said, licking a drip of milk from her hand. Zaken gave her a half smile and then sighed as he gazed out over the water.

"I remember you, that's enough for me." He said, taking a tentative lick from his cone. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as he found it good. Komugi blushed and looked down, suddenly feeling shy with his comment.

They strolled through Heine's square later, Komugi bashfully taking his arm when he offered it to her. They spoke little, enjoying each other's presence and the beauty that was Heine without bothersome speech. Komugi's mood melted a bit and she came to an abrupt halt as Kyosuke, standing on the other side of the square, met her sight. She grimaced inwardly, not knowing how to handle the impending situation.

"Kurikups." Zaken said suddenly, blinking in surprise at the boy. Komugi looked up at him in bewilderment.

"Kurikups? Where?" she asked, looking around the square.

"Right there. You were looking at him." Zaken said, pointing back to Kyosuke. Komugi's eyes bugged out of her head as she slowly turned back to look at the youth, who strolled over to them with a grin.

"Ah so you got back together, tough luck." Kyosuke said, rubbing the back of his head. Zaken frowned and lowered his eyelids in annoyance at the demon, and hugged Komugi to his chest protectively.

"You're Kurikups?" Komugi repeated in disbelief. Kyosuke nodded with a grin and her jaw dropped open. "I suddenly feel kind of ill." She said, glancing away with a grimace.

"Sorry for tricking you all of this time, but I really just wanted to find a way to get Zaken out of my hair so I could go back to sleep. It's really rough being awake and noticing the passage of time while waiting for Beleth to return, I'm really quite bored with it." Kyosuke said good-naturedly. "I planted myself on the cargo ship that Zaken attacked because I knew you'd be there. I'd heard you were looking for a way to cure Zaken you see, so I thought 'what a great chance to be rid of him!' Everything that happened after that was just an unforeseen bonus." He sighed in disappointment, his shoulders drooping. "You sure you want to stay with him? He's a bit rusty on his romance I'm sure. You could come back with me to the island and be my next wife; I'd treat you like a queen." Zaken glared and tightened his hold on Komugi, letting out a slight hissing noise at the disguised demon.

"I think I'll stay with rusty romance as I've had enough of queens, thank you." Komugi said flatly, her stomach churning in unhappiness as she remembered all that she'd done with Kyosuke. Some part of her heart felt betrayed and hurt, but she pushed it aside.

"Suit yourself, but come and find me if you ever change your mind." Kyosuke said with a shrug as he disappeared. Komugi let out a tense sigh that she hadn't realized had built up, and looked up at Zaken who still glared at the spot where Kyosuke had stood.

"What'd you do with him?" he asked defensively, turning his glare on her. Komugi lowered her eyelids in annoyance.

"What'd you do with Freya? Or Wimere for that matter?" Komugi retorted. Zaken's expression changed immediately and glanced away, aloof.

"Can't seem to remember a Wimere or Freya." He said lightly. Komugi scoffed and rolled her eyes, pulling from him and walking away. He grinned roguishly at her and jogged after her. Kyosuke materialized again as they left, and watched them with a wistful expression.

His memories recalled Zaken, ridden with nightmares of Triage's death, had contacted the Magus Kenishee in an attempt to find out what part of the abyss her soul was hiding in. He intended to storm the abyss himself and beg for her forgiveness, to make the guilt and sorrow end.

After consulting her magic potions, the Magus announced that Triage's soul was no longer in the abyss. Kurikups remembered following him then, as he left Devil's Isle after receiving a strange message from the Magus. He followed the vampire to Talking Island, where Zaken landed outside of a tiny cottage in the corner of the village. A little girl with mousey brown hair stood outside a window, from which the sounds of a woman in labor emanated from, trying to peek over the sill. The little girl turned to look at Zaken was he approached, pushing large spectacles up her nose.

"Mommy's squeezing bacon." The girl said, and Zaken's mouth twitched slightly as he tried not to laugh. He took another step forward to glance into the window as the girl turned back to trying to look in. The cries of a baby suddenly emanated from the room, and the mother of the child laughed in relief.

"It's a girl!" the midwife proclaimed, and the father of the baby kissed his wife lovingly.

"That's not bacon!" the little girl in front of Zaken exclaimed, and then she bolted from the window and behind the house, sobbing loudly.

"Triage's soul is no longer in the Abyss because it has been reborn! Tonight, my magics say, she is re-entering the world in the tiny village of Talking Island!" the Magus' words echoed across Kurikups' memories.

"So I missed getting her as a wife again, I'll try again in the next lifetime." Kyosuke grinned, disappearing for real this time.

"I remember this place well." Zaken breathed as he and Komugi walked to the beach leading to the Garden of Eva. Wanting to visit it at least once as a tourist, Komugi and Zaken had packed up and begun the trek there. Zaken gazed at the reef, his eyes glazed over in memory. He took her by the hand and led her over to where the water met the shore, the reef sparkling underneath the waves. "We kissed for the first time here, didn't we?" Zaken asked, gazing down at her with a smile. Suddenly feeling awkward and shy, Komugi pulled away from him, almost loosing her mask of cool at the look in his eyes.

"I can't remember. Maybe." Komugi responded, wading into the water and searching for loose bits of coral to make jewelry from. Her eyes widened as Zaken approached her, and she glanced up at him, her cheeks pink as she found him rubbing the back of his head in nervousness. With a frustrated sigh, he produced something from his pocket and placed it in her hand. Komugi looked in surprise as a pretty purple flower hairpin sat in her palm, and she looked up at Zaken with large eyes.

"I'd like to do our relationship properly this time, if you'll let me." Zaken said with a nervous smile. Komugi felt happiness welling in her chest as she put the hairpin in her hair with shaking hands. Unable to stand it, she let the bubble in her chest burst, and latched onto Zaken with all of the happiness she felt. He fell onto his back in the sand, but was silenced from making any noises of surprise or pain as Komugi planted her mouth over his.

On the other side of the beach, unbeknownst to the happily renewed couple, stood a light elf with short blonde hair, watching without expression. She looked away as they rolled over, Zaken on top of Komugi as they continued to kiss, and began walking towards Heine.

"You may have him now, silly little rabbit…but your time with him will be but a blink of an eye." The voice of the Ice Queen came coldly. "I know that once you shrivel up and die, he will return to the beautiful demon he was, and will come back to my embrace." She cackled darkly and disappeared into a gust of snowflakes, leaving no trace that she'd been there.

Back in the Frozen Labyrinth, all is shining and pristine once more. The steward guarding the bridge lives, and Sirra floated calmly at her post in front of the Ice Queen's castle. No one paid any attention to the statue of the zombie pirate, still poised in the act of catching his hat. No one heard as he cried deep in his frozen throat. But if people could hear him, it was hard to say if they would even care.


End file.
